Fresh from Canada
by Freedom Fighter
Summary: 20 teens from TDI/TDA, 6teen, and Stoked converge on the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics for a shot at a grand prize that includes VIP treatment at the Opening Ceremonies! Reality series mega-crossover event!
1. Episode One, Part 1

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode One, Part 1  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

**Disclaimer:** All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

Four black limousines pulled up to the entrance to what would be in just a matter of weeks the temporary home of nearly 3000 athletes and officials for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. 17 beautiful glass and stone buildings stood tall, most overlooking the waterfront. Construction on them had been completed months ago, and they had yet to be used.

Until now...

One at a time, the limousines came to a stop and the doors on the curbside were open. The very first person to step out of the first limo was Gwen, the runner-up on 'Total Drama Island.' She looked around at the beautiful surroundings and was flabbergasted by how great the scenery was. Especially compared to what she had seen on the two 'Total Drama' reality shows. Cody stepped out next, and had the same exact reaction.

"I can't believe this..." Gwen said aloud. "This can't be real."

"We've hit the big time, Gwen," Cody told her. "We're on a reality show that actually treats its participants right."

"You've got to come out here and see this!"

The rest of the occupants of the limo stepped out. Bridgette, Harold, and Heather were all stunned by the sight of the innovative Olympic Village.

"Finally!" Heather cried out. "Now **THIS** is what I call a reality show!"

"It's like we're going to be on 'The Real World,'" commented Harold, "only we're not all complete sex- and booze-starved nineteen- and twenty-year old strangers."

"I'd die before even auditioning for that train wreck. You don't even win any money for staying through the whole show!"

"What you don't win in monetary value, you gain in life experiences."

"Like you're one to talk!"

"Eeeeeee!" Bridgette squealed, running past the group and towards the nearest building. "It's exactly like the brochures said it would be! They really are environmentally-friendly!"

"Uh, Bridge... what are you talking about?" Gwen asked her friend.

"All the buildings meet at least LEED Gold Standards, rainwater is recycled and used for land irrigation, there's a habitat for fish and birds, and the roofs are green!"

"How is painting the roofs green healthy for the environment?"

"They're not painted green, Heather. They're made completely of plants!"

"Plants?" the other four asked simultaneously.

"Yeah! Plants can grow and live, and at the same time protect the people inside from the elements!"

"That's... just weird," commented Heather.

"I'm gonna **LOVE** living here the next two weeks!" Bridgette shouted.

Meanwhile, the second limo had been opened, and the sounds of more squealing entered the air. But not from just one person... but two.

"I can't believe it... we're here! In the Olympic Village!" the first girl, red-haired Emma, exclaimed.

"I hope we get to meet a hot snowboarder or two," the second girl, brown-haired Lo, wished aloud. "Like, I dunno... Michael Lambert?"

Emma then sighed, unaware that Johnny was getting out of the limo.

"I just wish Ty was here. I would've loved to go skiing with him."

Johnny shook his head and let out a sigh of his own. "Even when he's not here..." he muttered as he walked past the two girls, one of which he was in love with.

"Okay, where are the snow bunnies!" Reef yelled as he exited the limo. "The Reefster has arrived!"

Reef then was pushed out of the way as Fin stepped out.

"Unlike you, Reef," she said as she trotted past him, "some of us here to actually win the grand prize! Not to flirt!"

"You're just afraid that none of the guys here will give you the time of day!"

"Are not!" Fin shouted as she clubbed Reef with her left fist.

Fin and Reef then heard snickering behind them. The two turned around, to where the first two people had emerged from the third limo. It was Jonesy and Nikki.

"What's so funny?" Fin asked them.

"Nothing," answered Nikki, with as best of a straight face as she could muster. "It's just... it's just..."

"You two remind us of... well, us!"

"Kids these days... when will they ever learn?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fin growled as the two walked off.

Fin followed them, attempting to get a clarification, as Reef picked himself up off the ground. Meanwhile, Wyatt and Jude stepped out of the limo and took in the sights.

"Whoa, dude!" Jude gasped. "This place is awesome!"

"Maybe this won't be so bad after all," admitted Wyatt. "This might actually be... fun!"

"Of course this is going to be fun!" Jen said aloud as she got out of the limo. "We're going to be staying in the **ACTUAL** Olympic Athletes' village! It's... it's like we're actually going to compete in the Olympic Games!"

"I never thought of it that way!" Jude admitted.

"This is like a dream come true, isn't it?" Wyatt asked Jen.

"Well, almost. If I was actually on the Canadian snowboarding team, then it would be! But this is a very, very close second."

As they followed everyone else towards the waterfront, Tyler was the first to step out of the fourth and final limo. Trent came out next, and he walked past Tyler and after the crowd. Tyler looked back to the limo and smiled as Lindsay emerged.

"Hello, Vancouver!" Lindsay shouted out loud. "Lindsay has arrived!"

A gust of wind then blew through, and Lindsay suddenly found herself wrapping her arms around her chest, shivering.

"Brrr... why is it so cold?"

"You know, I could help with that," Tyler slyly suggested.

Tyler took off his zippered jacket and draped it over Lindsay's shoulders and back.

"Wow... that's so nice of you! Thanks... um..."

"Tyler."

Lindsay laughed. "Don't be silly! There's no way you're Tyler!"

Tyler smacked his forehead as Lindsay strutted past him.

"Why don't you believe me?" he yelled after her. "Do you think I'm some sort of nobody?"

"Out of the way, nobody!" Courtney exclaimed, pushing Tyler aside hard enough to knock him to the ground. "Some of us have better things to do then flirt! Like... winning!"

"That's my girl!" affirmed Duncan, the winner of 'Total Drama Action' and the last to step out into the village.

"Thanks, Duncan!"

Courtney smiled confidently, then trotted after Lindsay. Tyler got to his feet quick enough to notice Duncan shaking his head at Courtney behind her back.

"That woman's going to be the death of me," Duncan muttered, just loud enough for Tyler to overhear.

"At least **SHE** remembers your name!"

The twenty competitors made their way to the eastern end of a pedestrian bridge over Jervis Inlet, looking out to False Creek, where a black-and-spiky-haired Caucasian adult male was waiting for them. He was dressed in a halfway-zipped green windbreaker, over a white sweater with the red Canadian flag on it, and khaki pants.

Once the group was settled in front of him, the man, the show's host, introduced himself.

"Good morning, everyone! I hope you're all rested and ready to go, because from this moment on, the competition begins! There's plenty of great prizes on the line for all of you to win... but none gets bigger than the grand prize. $250,000, VIP tickets to any three Olympic finals of your choice, and the honor of being Fresh TV Incorporated's unofficial representative at the 2010 Winter Olympics, which are being held right here in Vancouver!

"My name is Allen Clark... and this is 'Fresh from Canada!'"

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

"The twenty of you here, over the next two weeks, will be competing against each other to decide who will be the lucky one to win that massive grand prize package. Are you ready?"

Assorted cheers and hollers could be heard from the teenagers.

"Good, because we're not wasting any time! You guys are going right into the first challenge! Everyone, please follow me!"

Two minutes later, they were all standing in front of the Southeast False Creek Community Centre. To Allen's left was a chalkboard on wheels, covered with a bed sheet. That is, until Allen went to remove it, revealing a large poster of Canada taped over the actual board. On it, each of the country's ten provinces and three territories were clearly marked.

"As you all may or may not know, an important part of every Olympic Opening Ceremony is the Parade of Nations. Every nation that is participating gets to march around the stadium. They march in alphabetical order according to the host country's names for them in their native language. There are two exceptions to this rule: Greece, the original founding country of the Olympics, is always first, and the host country... which for the Games next month, will of course be Canada, is always last.

"And that brings us to Canada. O, Canada. Our native country is made up of ten provinces and three territories. Each province or territory has their own flag... such as this one."

Allen pulled out a miniature version of British Columbia's flag.

"This is the flag for British Columbia, which is the province that Vancouver is located in. Around this 11-acre village, at the entrances to most of the buildings, sit 13 different boxes. Each box contains a different provincial or territorial flag."

Allen pointed to a set of six-foot displays, each of which had thirteen holes to insert flags into. Twelve of them were in a circle, and the thirteenth was conveniently in the center.

"In this challenge, your job is to run all over the village and collect all 13 flags. Once you do, race back here to your display, and place the flags into the provided pegs, in alphabetical order starting from the top and going clockwise. The exception, of course, is host province British Columbia, which must go in the center peg."

"So it's a Parade of Provinces?" Courtney attempted to confirm.

"Exactly. But you're probably wondering... why would we want to complete such a challenge? Well, let me tell you! We're going to split you guys and gals into heats by gender. The male and female who complete the challenge the fastest will win a prize package of official 2010 Winter Olympic merchandise!

"The package includes a 2010 Winter Olympic souvenir program book, a copy of 'With Glowing Hearts' - which is the official commemorative book of the Vancouver Games, an Olympic Games hat, 9.5" plush dolls of Miga, Mukmuk, and Sumi - the games' three mascots, and a Vancouver Stanley Hockey Jersey. Because there's nothing quite like remembering the Olympics by purchasing a whole bunch of memorabilia from it!

"In addition, the person with the fastest overall time will get to take control of the competition... because that person will be responsible for picking all of the teams."

"All of them?" Heather asked.

"All of them. You'll be split up into male-female pairs for the competition. Safe to say, the only way to guarantee you get paired up with the person of your choice... is to finish this challenge as fast as possible!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"This is great!" Johnny exclaimed. "If I can just win this challenge, then I can choose Emma as my partner! It's perfect!"

"Any girl I want?" Jonesy shouted. "So many choices... I don't know where to start!"

"There's only one person I'd pick as my partner," Courtney stated emphatically, "and I'd better be the only choice on his list, too!"

"I just hope whomever ends up as my partner is nice and sweet, and will help get us through the competition," Emma stated.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Oh, one more thing!" Allen said to the competitors. "Even if you don't finish first in your heat, you're still want to finish as fast as possible. That's because only the first eight guys and first eight gals to finish will stay in the competition. The other four... we're sending you home."

A collective gasp could be heard from the group.

"That's right! You'd better get your running shoes on... because now the game's really on!"

* * *

Ten minutes later, the girls were set and, if necessary, had changed into the proper attire, and were ready to go at the starting line. The guys looked on from some nearby benches.

"One last thing before you girls take off," Allen told them. "Inside four of the 13 boxes that hold the flags is a map. Each of the maps indicate the location of all 13 boxes in the Olympic Village. You don't necessarily need the map to find all the flags, but it will definitely help if you're aiming to finish the fastest."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm going to find that map, and then I'm going to win this easily!" Heather said to the camera. "After all, if you're not playing to win, then why are you even here?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Okay, ladies! Ready? Aaannnnnnnnnnnnnnd... GO!"

The ten girls took off in search of the flags. Courtney, Gwen, Emma, and Nikki took off to the west; Heather, Lo, and Jen went southwest; Bridgette, Fin, and Lindsay headed due southeast.

The southeastern bound crew hit pay dirt first, with Fin leading the way. She found the first box and reached in to pull out the flag for British Columbia... and a map as well.

"Sweet! I knew this was the right move to make!"

Fin took a few steps away from the box and unrolled the map, just as Bridgette got to the box and to obtain her B.C. flag. After looking over the map for a few seconds, Fin rolled it back up and headed due east. Bridgette watched Fin take off, then decided to go due south. As they both left the box behind, Lindsay arrived.

"Hey, Bridgette, wait up!" Lindsay called out, but she didn't hear her.

Lindsay quickly got to the box, pulled out the flag, and took off in Bridgette's direction.

Meanwhile, Courtney, Gwen, Nikki, and Emma could be seen running across the bridge over Jervis Inlet in the background, as Jen and Heather bolted for the nearest building looking at that bridge. Lo had originally planned to follow them, but had changed her mind and turned back towards the bridge to chase down Courtney's group.

Jen stopped in front of the building and started searching for one of the flag boxes, while Heather ran right past and continued southward, towards a lone building that stood alone in-between the village's central and eastern complexes.

Ignoring Heather, Jen caught sight of the box. She quickly claimed the flag for Manitoba and then moved towards the next building westward. As she did, she saw ahead that Gwen had diverted due south from the end of the bridge and it looked like she was heading for the exact same place. Closer to the bridge, Courtney walked up to the only building in the village that did not run either north-south or east-west. She discovered the box right at the entrance, and pulled out the flag for Quebec... as well as the second map.

"Yes!"

Courtney quickly ran off to go look at the map elsewhere, as Nikki was heading in her direction. Further back, Emma had stopped at the end of the bridge to allow Lo to catch up.

"Emma, you wanna team up?" Lo asked.

"Sure! Two pairs of eyes are better than one!" Emma replied.

The two surfer girls quickly spotted the back of Nikki's head and headed in that direction to claim their first flag...

Back with Heather, who was all by herself as she approached West 1st Avenue. Going to the side of the building that faced the street, she located the flag box. Inside, she claimed the Saskatchewan flag, but no map. Heather then made her way along the street to the west.

The challenge continued as the female competitors ran all across the village. Courtney jumped out to an early lead, finding the flags to the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia fairly easily. In the process, she had lost sight of everyone else.

But Courtney wasn't the only one using her athletic ability to her advantage, as Jen had claimed the Newfound and Labrador and Prince Edward Island flags before backtracking towards the waterfront to get the Quebec one.

Heather and Gwen crossed paths in the southern part of the village, each in possession of two flags, but they continued on without each other - Heather continuing west, Gwen turning east.

On the other side of the village, Fin had added the Alberta and Yukon flags and found Bridgette a minute later, who was the first to claim the flag of Ontario.

"Is there a flag over there?" Bridgette asked Fin, in the direction from where she had just come from.

"There? Oh, yeah, sure," Fin answered without looking directly into Bridgette's eyes.

Fin took an Ontario flag, then continued west. Bridgette didn't completely believe the answer she got, but she headed that way anyway.

With the challenge reaching the 15-minute mark, the girls continued their scrambling. Emma and Lo had, since we last saw them, had gotten their hands on a map. Working together, they each took a side of the alley to look for flags. Lo found the box with the Newfound and Labrador flag, and picked out two for her and Emma.

Over on the eastern side of the village, Courtney was seen running by a building with two fistfuls of flags in hand.

"One more, just one more!" she cried out, as she spotted another box in the distance.

South of her, a block away, Jen found the flag for the territory of Yukon. She quickly counted up her flags and noted she had 12 as well.

"What's left, what's left?" Jen thought aloud as she tried to figure out which flag she was missing.

But well to the west, a third female was claiming her 12th flag. It was the flag of the Northwest Territories. She started heading east, moving in such a rush that she didn't notice that one of the flags had fallen out of her grasp and to the ground!

Back near the center of the village, Nikki and Lindsay had ran into each other... literally. The collision sent all their collective flags to the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're going, blondie!" Nikki scolded before quickly turning her attention to the ground and picking up flags.

Lindsay was still stunned by the run-in that before she had even realized what was going on, Nikki had picked up seven flags and bolted.

"What was up with that? Cheese Louise!"

Lindsay gathered the remaining flags and came to a startling realization... she now had eight! Two more than she thought she had!

"Wow, what a lucky break! I didn't even need to find a box!"

Loving her good fortune, Lindsay ran off with two new flags in tow.

Back at the starting line, Allen and the boys watched and waited for the girls to return. Finally, Reef looked to the east and saw a familiar face heading their way.

"It's Fin!" he exclaimed. "Alright, Fin! That-a-girl!"

"She's not the only one," Cody pointed out, as he directed their attention straight ahead.

"Oh, crap..." Duncan groaned. "It's 'Princess' Courtney."

Approaching from the east, Fin started her run across the bridge. At that moment, she spotted Courtney and gasped, believing she was going to get beat to the finish line. With that, Fin mustered what little energy she had left and tried to speed up.

It wasn't enough... Courtney reached the finish line first, by about seven seconds. She immediately ran to the set of displays and went to work. As Fin reached the finish line, she heard cheers from the boys as another competitor was coming in. Courtney spotted the third arrivee as she placed the Alberta flag at the top of her display.

It was Jen, and she was sprinting in fairly fast.

"C'mon, Jen!" Jonesy yelled out. "You can beat these girls!"

In seconds, Jen got to the finish and started to put her display together. But as she did, everyone heard a scream of anguish coming from Fin.

"Noooo! I'm missing one! But how..."

Fin hastily pulled out her map and tried to figure out how she missed one. While she did that, Courtney started calling out to Allen.

"Oh, Mister Host? I think I've done it!"

Allen went over to check Courtney's board... and after looking it over, pulled a stopwatch out of his left pants pocket and pressed the stop button on it.

"We have a winner! Courtney!"

"Yes! I won, I won!"

A few audible moans could be heard from the guys, especially the 'Total Drama' castmates.

"I'm done too!" Jen shouted.

Allen went over to Jen's board... and gave her a sign of approval as well. He then made his way over to Fin, who was still trying to figure out which flag was missing.

"I must have dropped one... but which one?"

"If you don't have all 13 flags, you have to run back out and find it," Allen told her. "You can't start on the board until you have them all."

"Darn it!" Fin nearly cursed as she gathered her flags and ran back towards the bridge.

But Fin wasn't the only having bad luck, as Bridgette was getting confused as she backtracked throughout the village. Reaching a flag box, she looked inside to find the Prince Edward Island one... which she already had!

"Oh, come on! I've already been here!"

Bridgette looked a bit panicked, as she glanced at the surrounding buildings and tried to recall where she had been already.

"If I don't figure this out soon, I'm gonna get sent home!"

* * *

On the way to retracing her steps, Fin had figured out that it was the Nunavat flag that she had dropped, and that it was when she was getting the flag for the Northwest Territories. But when she reached that building, her missing flag was nowhere to be found.

"Rats! I knew it was here! Now what?"

Fin took out her map again and tried to remember where she got the Nunavat flag from. Meanwhile, just one block to her south, Bridgette was still trying to get her bearings.

"Let's see... this is the west end. And to my right would be the waterfront. I think I've been down there, though."

Bridgette then made a left turn, heading south... away from one of the few flags she actually still didn't have.

Back at the finish line, two girls had arrived since Fin's departure. Allen was already in the process of checking Heather's board as Gwen was still putting hers in place.

"Alright-y... Heather makes three in. And as for Gwen..."

Heather smirked smugly as she observed Gwen putting into the place the British Columbia flag in the center to finish. After a few seconds, Allen also gave the goth girl a thumbs-up of approval.

"That's four!"

"Wait a minute... I'm back already?"

Everyone turned around to see Lindsay there, a little perplexed. The buxom blonde quickly counted her flags...

"Nine, ten, eleven, twelve... only twelve?"

Lindsay looked all about, trying to figure out where she hadn't been. Finally gazing southward, she saw a building all by itself that seemed unfamiliar to her.

"Could it be?"

Lindsay ran off in that direction, oblivious to another round of cheers that filled the air, as Fin reached the bridge for the second time, ready to cross it and reach the finish line again.

A block to the east and heading south, Emma and Lo were coming upon West 1st Avenue, and they were still trying to find their 13th and final flag.

"I can't believe this!" Emma exclaimed. "I'm from Alberta! How come we can't find **MY** flag?"

"It's gotta be around here somewhere!" Lo reassured her.

As Lo tried to keep Emma calm, neither of them realized that they not only had walked right by the building that had the Alberta box, but that it was in plain sight.

At the finish...

"Okay, you're good."

"Finally!" Fin gasped as she lied down on the ground, completely exhausted.

"Great going there, fumble fingers!" Reef snickered. "Losing a flag, really?"

"Um..." Johnny cut in, "have you seen Emma?"

Too out of breath to respond with words, Fin just shook her head.

Back to the west, Nikki picked up the flag for Quebec... again.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I can't believe I lost two of my flags to that blonde bimbo! Man, no one back at home's gonna forget this if she makes it out of this challenge and I don't!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Now with 11 flags in hand, Nikki headed east across the bridge. Once completely across, she was able to see how many girls had already finished. Noting five, she ran past the gallery, kicking it into high gear towards the eastern portions of the village.

"Was that Nikki?" Jonesy asked.

Jen nodded. "She'd better hurry!"

Nikki knew she was in trouble, too... especially when she ran past Lo and Emma, both with arms full of flags.

"We'd better still be in this, or I swear..."

"Don't worry about it, Lo! We're getting through this!"

Their fears were relieved rather quickly, when they saw Fin urging them to hurry up and get to her.

Twenty seconds later, both girls collapsed at the finish line.

"It's not over yet!" Fin told them as she tried to pick up Emma, then Lo off of the ground.

The girls gathered their flags and made their way over to two of the still-empty boards. Fin started directing them on what to do, which immediately got Heather's attention...

"Okay, Alberta's first..." Fin told them.

"Wait, why does Emma get to go first?" Lo asked. "Are you trying to get me eliminated?"

"No, that's not what I..."

"Hey!" Heather exclaimed. "Helping them out is against the rules!"

"There was never any rule against that!"

"Allen, or whatever your name is," Heather cried, appealing to the host. "They can't do that!"

"Technically, I never said there was a rule against teamwork, so..."

"Great!" Fin exclaimed, getting back to work, "And Lo, I meant Alberta goes at the top..."

"Whatever..." Heather said, giving up on the subject.

Suddenly, a lot of cheers could be heard from the guys. Heather looked to the south and saw Lindsay coming towards them.

"And speaking of people who don't deserve to be here..."

As Lindsay approached the finish, Emma and Lo officially completed the challenge, coming in sixth and seventh.

"We did it!" Emma shouted.

"Woo... hoo..." Lo cheered half-heartedly.

Lindsay arrived at the finish and promptly dropped her flags there.

"I'm still in, right? I'm not too late?"

"Right now, you're in eighth place," Allen told her. "But you still have to put all the flags on your board in the right places before you are locked in."

"Oh, right."

"Hey, there's Nikki!" Jonesy shouted, seeing his girlfriend appear from around a corner a few buildings down.

"Come on, Nikki! You've got to go, now!" Jen shouted.

Lindsay got her wits about her, picked up all her flags, and went to work. As she tried to solve the 'puzzle,' she could hear the screams from Jonesy and Jen to Nikki getting louder.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The only thing I could think about was how much I wanted to prove that what happened on 'Total Drama Action' wasn't a fluke!" Lindsay said to the camera. "But then I thought... was the red one for Manitoba, Ontario, or **THE** Ohio State University? Buckeyes are Canadian, right?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"I'm done!" Lindsay shouted out, waving her arms about to get Allen's attention.

Allen trotted over to check Lindsay's board. After a few seconds, he gave her his verdict.

"Not right. Try again."

"What? No way!"

Lindsay looked at the board again, trying to figure out what was wrong. As she did, she was oblivious to the fact Gwen's completed board was to the right of hers... and it showed that the Newfound and Labrador and New Brunswick flags were switched. As were the Manitoba and Ontario ones.

Suddenly, the light bulb switched on in her head, and she made a move. Just in time, too, as Nikki crossed the finish line. Jen ran over as Nikki bent over, gasping for air.

"Nikki, you've got to beat that other girl over there!"

Jen pointed to Lindsay, who was jumping up and down in anticipation.

"Ooh, ooh, I've got it this time!"

As Allen went to check on Lindsay, Nikki managed to gather herself enough to get some composure and head over to her board.

"Nope, still not right!"

"Hear that?" Jen told Nikki. "You're still in this!"

Nikki knelt down in front of her board and dropped all of her flags to the ground. She started to trying to remember which flag belonged to which province, but Jen cut in, taking a knee beside her.

"Look, that one's Alberta, put it at the top. Manitoba's next... that one..."

"I got this, Jen!"

"Just trust me!"

Heather looked as if she was about to butt in for the second time, but Courtney beat her to the punch.

"Hey!" Courtney yelled, pointing at Jen as she walked towards her. "I'm watching you!"

"Excuse me?" Jen shot back, getting to her feet.

"Helping your friend there is one thing, but you can't physically put those flags in place for her!"

As Courtney and Jen were having a 'discussion,' Allen had just given Lindsay a thumbs-down for the second time. A look at her board showed she still had the Manitoba and Ontario flags placed incorrectly. As for Nikki, she was starting to put the first few flags in place.

"What could I be missing?" Lindsay wondered out loud.

"Which one was this again?" Nikki asked herself as she held up the Yukon flag.

"I did no such thing!" Jen said defiantly.

"Maybe so... but I'm keeping an eye on you!" threatened Courtney.

Courtney turned around and walked back to the others, while Jen drew her attention back to helping Nikki. Seeing which flag was in her hand...

"Yukon."

Nikki sighed. "I knew that."

As Nikki made her way around the board with Jen's assistance, a few boards away, Lindsay had finally figured out her other mistake. The two girls worked feverishly to beat the other.

And then...

"I'm done! Allen, Allen, Allen!"

To be continued...


	2. Episode One, Part 2

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode One, Part 2  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

**Disclaimer:** All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Finally!" Heather cried out. "Now **THIS** is what I call a reality show!"

"I can't believe it... we're here! In the Olympic Village!" the first girl, red-haired Emma, exclaimed.

20 cast members from the 'Total Drama' series, '6teen,' and 'Stoked' had been gathered in Vancouver to compete for the chance to win a spectacular grand prize...

"$250,000, VIP tickets to any three Olympic finals of your choice, and the honor of being Fresh TV Incorporated's unofficial representative at the 2010 Winter Olympics!"

The competition began with a Qualification Challenge that required them to race around the Olympic Village to collect the 13 provincial and territorial flags of Canada.

"Okay, ladies! Ready? Aaannnnnnnnnnnnnnd... GO!"

The girls went first, and while some got off to a great start...

"Sweet!" Fin rejoiced. "I knew this was the right move to make!"

Others didn't...

"If I don't figure this out soon, I'm gonna get sent home!"

Courtney edged out Jen and became the first girl to complete the challenge...

"We have a winner! Courtney!"

"Yes! I won, I won!"

But when it got down to the final qualifying spot, it was down to Nikki and Lindsay...

"Nikki, you've got to beat that other girl over there!"

"Ooh, ooh, I've got it this time!"

Who will make it through to the next round? And will the boys manage to complete the challenge with just as much drama involved?

Find out tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

Everyone was looking on as Nikki and Lindsay raced to finish their boards. Lindsay had already made two attempts and had failed on both. Nikki was on her first, and Jen was by her side, determined to make sure her friend didn't need a second try.

And then...

"I'm done! Allen, Allen, Allen!"

Allen ran over to Lindsay's board to check it for the third time. Nikki was putting the last flag in place, and then she waited to see if she would get the chance to have hers looked over.

It wasn't meant to be.

"Third time's the charm!" Allen announced. "Lindsay, congratulations! You're still in the competition!"

"Hurray!" Lindsay cheered. "I did it, I did it!"

As Lindsay celebrated, Jen and Nikki, the latter for the first time, shot scornful looks at Courtney. Unsurprisingly, she shot one back at them.

Or did she?

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"No way!" Courtney said with distraught. "Lindsay made it through? Surely that purple-haired girl was smarter than she is. She just had to be slow, didn't she?"

"I heard a lot about this girl," Jen shook her head. "Courtney. I heard about the things she did on that reality show, 'Total Drama Action.' But this? To slow Nikki long enough so that she'd lose? I never thought she'd do something like that! Arrgh! She's just like my sister! What is it with this world and girls named Courtney?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Four minutes later, Bridgette finally returned with all 13 flags in hand, but her run slowed to a walk about 50 feet away when she realized that she was the last one back. Gwen was waiting for her at the finish, and once Bridgette crossed and let her flags fall to the ground, she gave her friend a hug.

"It's okay, Bridge... you did your best."

Bridgette sniffled. "Thanks, Gwen. That means a lot coming from you!"

With that, the two walked back to the rest of the group, where her failure was going to be made official.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

Bridgette sighed. "So here I am, one of the first ones out. Again! This is so bad! I thought I would make up for what happened on TDA, but there were too many strong competitors here. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the reality show business."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Nikki and Bridgette were standing next to Allen, and three of them opposite to the 18 remaining competitors.

"Well, Nikki and Bridgette," Allen told them. "I hope you enjoyed Vancouver for the short time you were here, because it's time for you two to go!"

"Good luck, guys!" Bridgette said to the remaining competitors as she waved goodbye.

"Yeah..." Nikki started to do likewise, as Jen walked over to hug her.

"Don't worry..." Jen whispered into Nikki's ear. "She won't get away with this!"

"Just make it good. I want to see the look on her face when they show it on TV!"

With that, Jen let go of Nikki, and the purple-haired girl followed Bridgette back towards West 1st Avenue, to a waiting limo, heading for the airport.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"If there's one thing I learned," Bridgette admitted, "it's that when you step into a competition where everyone's a threat to win, you've got to give it your all! Unfortunately, my all wasn't enough to get me through to the next round. Oh, well..."

"The worst thing about getting booted off so early," Nikki stated, "is that when I get back home, the clones are so gonna rag on me! Especially Chrissy. Man, she's like Courtney, only... without a brain! I'm not happy to say Courtney outsmarted me, but if I know Jen, she'll find a way to outsmart back! Go get 'er, girl!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Half an hour later, after all of the flags had been taken off the boards and scattered through the village once again, the guys were ready to have a go at the challenge. The eight remaining girls glanced on from the sidelines, with some of them already picking out possible partners in their minds.

"Okay, guys," Allen addressed the male participants. "It's your turn. Hopefully, you've learned a few things from the females. But I hope them telling you where the flags are wasn't one of them. Because not only did we put all the flags in different places, we did so for the boxes too."

"What?" Harold freaked.

"So even though there may still be a box near many of the same buildings, they won't be in the exact same places. Have to make it fair, after all."

"Whatever," Duncan shrugged. "I'm still gonna kick everyone's butt."

"Nice try, bucko," Jonesy cut in, "but I'm winning this, so I can choose the girl of my choice!"

"Not if I beat you two losers to it!" muscled in Reef.

"Aw..." Reef smirked, "you can smell the stench of male stupidity wafting through the air."

"Really?" Lindsay looked at her. "All I smell is wet grass."

"Go get 'em, Dunkie!" Courtney cheered on.

"Alright, let's do this!" Tyler said aloud.

He shot a smile blindly towards the girls. Well, not completely blind...

"Is it just me, or is the guy in the headband cute?" Lo asked.

"He's definitely cute," Emma nodded in agreement.

Of course, seeing Emma's reaction got one out of Johnny, who suddenly grew a serious look on his face.

"Okay, now it's on!"

"Alright, gentleman!" Allen said to the men. "Ready? GO!"

With that, the clock started, and the ten guys took off. But unlike the girls, almost all of the boys stayed together, with eight of ten competitors heading due southeast. Duncan and Jude were the only ones who departed in a different direction, with both heading west over the Inlet bridge.

The large group, led by Jonesy, Tyler, and Reef, got to the first building and, without much trouble, located the first flag box. Jonesy and Reef both went for the box at the same time and ended up knocking it over, sending them and the contents of the box sprawling to the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, dude!" they yelled at each other.

Tyler bent down and picked up the flag, the one for Nova Scotia, and continued east. Reef and Jonesy motioned to do the same... until they both grabbed the same flag!

"I got it first!" Reef shouted.

"No, I did, so back off!" Jonesy shouted back.

Wyatt and Johnny arrived, both picked up a flag with ease, and turned to run south. Cody was right behind them, and he did the same, not paying much attention to Reef and Jonesy.

"I said give me that flag!"

"No, you gimme it!"

Trent then claimed his flag, but he decided to butt in.

"You guys know there's enough flags to go around, right?"

"It's the principle of the thing!" they both yelled back at Trent.

"Sheesh, whatever, dudes! Just trying to help."

Trent then departed, just as Harold zipped in to pick a flag off the ground without stopping. Seeing that everyone was now in front of them, Jonesy let go of the flag he was fighting over with Reef and picked up one of the few still around.

"Ha!" Jonesy said, as he ran off. "Look who has the last laugh!"

"Dude, really?" Reef shot back. "I'm the one with the first flag! No one else can say that!"

In the meantime, on the other side of the village, Duncan found a box right near the waterfront. He reached in and pulled out not only the Ontario flag, but a map as well.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Jude ran up right behind and saw that Duncan with the map.

"Aw, man!"

"Finders' keepers! See you at the finish line!"

With that, Duncan left the scene, heading even further west. Jude picked out an Ontario flag and decided to go south.

"I guess I'm on my own!" Jude said aloud. "Let's roll, cameradude!"

* * *

With already two flags in hand, Tyler didn't take long to find his third, the one for British Columbia. And that wasn't all...

"A map? Alright!"

As Tyler wandered away from the box, Wyatt came in from behind and Cody from Tyler's left. Wyatt got his first, then Cody, and then the two took off together, heading west. Neither of them paid attention as Tyler approached West 1st Avenue and was about to step onto it. Jonesy came around the corner - the same direction Cody had come from - and nearly did a double-take when Tyler, his face buried in the map, walked into the street with a car heading towards him from the west.

"Dude, watch out!"

Tyler lowered the map just in time to see the car barreling towards him, the driver beeping his horn as a warning to get out of the way. Tyler did, tossing the map into the air in the process. The jock had saved himself from becoming a pancake just in the nick of time.

Unfortunately, the wind had picked up the map and was carrying it away, in the direction of the aforementioned moving vehicle.

"How am I supposed to find the other flags now?" Tyler asked himself.

Back near the start/finish line, Duncan could be seen running eastward in front of the buildings facing the bridge. After picking up two more flags there, he ran past the girls, following in the footsteps of where most of the guys had gone early.

"C'mon, Duncan!" Courtney called out to him. "I know you've got this, honey!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, sweetie pie!" Duncan shouted back.

As the challenge continued on, the field was becoming even more spread out as all of the guys seemed intent on all working alone.

Out near the southwestern part of the village, a not-so-surprising leader had emerged. Wyatt found the box containing the Nunavut flag, which made him the first to get to 11.

"Alright, two more to go," Wyatt said aloud.

He turned the corner to go east and saw Tyler running his way. The two passed each other without interaction, and the jock reached in to pluck... two flags?

"Let's see... um, ten! Three left, I think."

Up further north, closer to the waterfront, Trent claimed the flag for Newfoundland and Labrador... that took him to 11 as well.

Back to the east...

"Hurry up, Duncan!"

Duncan ran past the girls again, including Courtney, heading west this time, with seven flags and a map in hand.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I swear, if I hear her screaming at me one more time, I'll..." Duncan began to utter until he realized, "she's going to see this later, isn't she? Damn it!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Somewhere in the center of the village, Johnny was struggling to find the boxes. He was running about with six in hand, and was getting desperate to find more.

Luckily, he was about to get some help, in the form of Jude.

"Excuse me!" Johnny said, raising a hand to stop the skateboarder.

"What's up?"

"I can't find any more of the flags!"

"Seriously, dude? There's one right around the next corner."

"Really? I swear I've been by that building three times!"

"That one had this flag in it," Jude said, holding up the Saskatchewan flag. "I don't know which one this is supposed to be, but that's the one in there."

Johnny quickly checked his flags and saw that he didn't have that one yet.

"I don't have that one. I'd better hurry!"

"Good luck, dude!" Jude wished him as Johnny ran off.

"Ooh, someone's coming back!" observed Emma.

Sure enough, all of the girls gazed westward to the bridge, as they saw Reef running towards them.

"I'm coming, girls!"

"Wow!" Fin exclaimed, a bit surprised. "I didn't think he had it in him!"

As Reef crossed the bridge, he started counting his flags. But when he finished...

"Aw, darn it! I'm one short!"

The girls watched as he stopped halfway across, turned around, and headed back the way he came.

"Looks like a false alarm," Heather smirked.

Fin rolled her eyes. "I knew it was too good to be true."

"Hey, someone else is coming!" Gwen and Jen exclaimed simultaneously. "Wait, what?"

"It's Wyatt!" Jen exclaimed as she saw him running in from the southwest.

"And... Cody?" Gwen added, shocked to see him emerging from the south.

Both with arms full of flags and a rolled-up map apiece hanging out of their back pants pockets, the two sprinted for the finish. Wyatt ended up reaching the finish line first, by about three strides.

"Go for it, Wyatt!" Jen cheered.

"You can do it, Cody," encouraged Gwen.

As the two found their boards and got to work, a third male appeared from around the corner of the Community Centre. It was Jude, and he had his 13 flags as well. Jude bolted to the finish, but by the time he got there, Wyatt and Cody were almost done.

But Cody was the first to get all his flags in place.

"Alright, I'm finished!" he shouted at Allen.

Wyatt ignored Cody as he put in his last three flags and as Jude trotted over to his board next to Wyatt's.

"And it's Cody with the win on the boys' side!" Allen announced.

"Great job, Cody!" Gwen congratulated him from the sidelines.

"Wow..." Cody blushed, "um, thanks?"

"Okay, done!" Wyatt said, motioning Allen to come over and check.

Allen quickly looked Wyatt's board over and gave him a thumbs-up.

"That's two..."

Wyatt then turned his attention to Jude, who still had all his flags on the ground and was trying to figure out where to place them.

"Jude, look! Just follow mine!"

Jude rose his head and saw Wyatt's completed board next to his.

"Oh, right! I guess I can do that!"

As Jude started to copy Wyatt, another figure came into view from the west.

"Ooh, I think it's Reef again!" Lo squinted.

"I think you're right," Fin said. "I hope he's got all 13 now."

Indeed, Reef did, but he wasn't too happy when he already spotted both Wyatt and Jude. Reef cursed under his breath as he reached the finish, just in time to see Jude lock in third place.

"That's three," Allen said aloud.

"Three?" questioned Reef, before he spotted Cody talking to Gwen to his left. "Wait a minute... how did he beat me back here?"

"Oh, that's easy," Cody replied as he walked towards Reef. "It was Duncan's. He gave it to me."

"WHAT?" Reef and Courtney yelled.

Cody shrugged his shoulders. "He just said take it. Don't know why... but, hey, he helped me win the challenge!"

"You won it, too? No way!"

"What can I say... I just wanted to win."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I actually thought I didn't have a chance at winning," revealed Cody. "I just wanted to do good enough so I wouldn't get sent home. So to finish first is great! Now I might be able to choose my own partner!"

"No way Duncan helped Cody get ahead of him!" Courtney deduced. "He wouldn't do that! He wants to win this as badly as I do! Well, almost... nobody wants to win this more than I do. But, you know what I mean!"

"Great!" Reef complained. "Now I'll probably end up with one of the ugly girls. Like that goth chick. Or Fin."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Back to the west end, where Trent and Johnny are searching for yet another flag box. Trent was now holding 12 flags, while Johnny had managed to get to eight. But they didn't seem too concerned at the moment about the competition...

"So... is that it?" Johnny asked.

"Yep," answered Trent. "If you really love this girl, then you gotta let her know! If you wait too long to express your feelings, you'll lose her!"

"But every time I try to confess... I... I..."

"If that happens, just close your eyes for a second and take a deep breath! Once you calm your nerves, it'll come out naturally."

"Really? Thanks!"

"Sure! Just don't overdo it. Girls don't like that, apparently."

Johnny nodded.

"Oh, cool, there's a box!"

Trent and Johnny ran over and reached in. Inside was the flag for Alberta... which Johnny didn't have, but Trent did.

"Whoa... that's a sign, man," Trent told Johnny.

"It must be!"

"Look, I guess we'd better get back to the challenge. Good luck!"

"Hey, thanks a lot, man!"

The two went their separate ways, with Johnny going east and Trent north. Both were determined to finish the challenge and stay in the competition.

But time was running out, as two more guys were heading towards the finish. Tyler and Duncan had found each other, and they were trying to outrun the other to the very end.

"Yeah!" Lindsay shouted. "Go, guy whose name I don't remember!"

"**DUNCAN!**" Courtney yelled. "**YOU'D BETTER PASS HIM, OR ELSE!**"

Hearing the princess' screeching, Duncan decided to do some of his own... by hitting the brakes with the back of his heels! He looked ahead to see the shocked reaction on everyone's faces, especially Courtney's, then he turned left, ducking back into the village.

"What is he doing?" Courtney asked out loud. "Doesn't he know the finish line is this way?"

Tyler raised his arms in triumph as he crossed the finish line.

"Yes! Now to finish this!"

He headed over to his board, winking at Lo and Emma as he passed them by.

"Did I say he was cute before?" Lo tried to remember. "Forget that... he's a hottie!"

"I know, right," Emma chirped.

"I don't see what's so impressive about him," remarked Reef.

"Says the guy who hasn't finished the challenge yet," Fin reminded him.

"What? I crossed the finish line!"

"Uh huh, yeah, sure," Fin nodded, before turning Reef's head with her own hands to show him what Tyler was doing. "And what about putting the flags in place?"

Reef watched as Tyler got to his board, sat down on the ground with his flags spread out before him, and tried to remember which province or territory each of them represented.

"Do 13 flags ring a bell?"

Reef observed as Tyler spent about two minutes sitting there, before the jock finally moved and picked up the flag for Alberta... and put it back on the ground again.

"Um..."

"You're supposed to put the flags up on your board," Wyatt told him as he walked by.

"No, that's not it," Reef denied.

"Will you just get over there?" Fin shouted, pushing him in the right direction.

"Alright, alright, I get it!"

As Reef had finally taken the hint and started getting to work, Fin grumbled as a smug Heather walked up beside her.

"Nice friend you have there..."

"**HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND, ALRIGHT?**"

Heather chuckled. "Never said he was. Heh... never said he was."

Realizing that Heather had somewhat tricked her, she tried to shoot back a retort as the 'Island' villain walked away... but she was too flabbergasted to think of one.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Look, he's a boy and he's a friend, but he's not my boyfriend!" Fin shouted. "That's what I wanted to say to her. But she just darn snuck up on me!"

"This is just too easy," Heather snickered. "It's like it was at the start of 'TDI.' This'll be a piece of cake! Once I get rid of Gwen and Lindsay, of course. Then the rest of them will be eating out of the palms of my hands. Especially those 'Stoked' girls... they act as if they got clocked by their surfboards once too much."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Meanwhile, somewhere in the southern part of the village, Harold was in search of his 13th and final flag. But he had just come upon yet another building's surroundings he had fully checked out already, and felt completely lost.

"Barnacles! At this rate, I'll never find it!"

Then, without warning, Harold tripped, landing hard on his chin.

"Ouch! What the..."

As he got up, he saw what he had stumbled over. It was a rolled-up map.

"No way! Good fortune smiles upon me at last!"

Harold picked it up, unfurled, and hastily got his bearings. After a few moments, he had figured out what building he hadn't been by yet. With that, he ran off to find it.

Once Harold was out of sight, Duncan stepped out from his hiding place in the bushes.

"Now he can't say I never did anything for him."

Duncan chuckled as he headed off in the opposite direction, with just one flag in hand.

* * *

"And Reef and Tyler make four and five!"

Allen had just checked both of their boards and gave them his approval, though Tyler seemed stumped by the fact he had an extra left over.

"Hmmm..." he murmured out loud.

Meanwhile, it had taken so long for the two of them to put the flags where they belonged, that Trent had since shown up and now he was installing the last of his flags.

"Yeah, Trent!" clapped Gwen, Cody, and Lindsay.

"Yep," Allen observed, "that's number six! Only two spots left!"

Jen scratched her head and wondered out loud, "Where's Jonesy?"

"Twelve? **TWELVE?** How am I missing one?"

Jonesy had somehow gotten himself lost somewhere between the buildings and was walking on the grass and through a flower bed or two. He also was struggling to find his last flag.

That is, until he found the one he was looking for right in front of him, on the ground. The flag of the Northwest Territories.

"What a stroke of luck! I just hope it's not too late..."

"Now **THAT'S** a Parade of Provinces!"

Since last checking in on him, Harold had made his way to the finish line and had placed his flags to complete the challenge. Now, only one spot was left to claim.

"Hey," Reef realized, "where's Johnny Front-Desk?"

"I don't know," Emma said, starting to worry. "He hasn't come back yet. I hope he's okay."

"He'll be better than Duncan will be if he's not the next one to show up," Courtney growled, clenching her right fist in anger.

Suddenly, someone ran out from between the buildings just to the west. But it wasn't Johnny or Duncan. It was...

"Jonesy!" Jen announced. "He's going to make it!"

"You got this, dude!" shouted Jude.

Jonesy first looked at who was already at the finish, then all around him to see if anyone was coming in. With no sight of anyone behind, he crossed the finish line unsure of where he stood.

"Am I still in?"

"You're in eighth!" Wyatt told him. "Get your flags in and you're safe!"

"Right," Jonesy nodded.

He went over to his board and, following Jude's board, methodically put his in place. Some of the others looked around, trying to see if Johnny or Duncan were going to show up.

Alas, neither was in sight when Jonesy put his last flag in.

"I'm in, right?" Jonesy asked Allen. "Tell me I'm in!"

Allen took his time looking it over, and then...

"Congratulations, Jonesy, you've finished eighth and are still in the competition!"

"Boo-yeah!" Jonesy rejoiced, with a mid-air fist pump for good measure. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Jonesy walked over to his castmates, who all gave him high fives for effort.

"That's it?" Emma gasped. "Aw, man... Johnny's gonna be so sad when he finds out!"

"I hope he's okay," Lo wondered out loud.

"It looks like it," Reef told her, as he pointed towards the bridge. "Here he comes!"

Johnny was jogging across the bridge, his arms full of flags. But, as he figured, he was too late to stay in the competition. It was confirmed when Allen greeted him at the finish line 30 seconds later.

"Johnny, I'm sorry to tell you that eight guys have already finished the challenge, and that means you've been eliminated."

Johnny nodded solemnly. "I understand."

He dropped his flags onto the ground and walked over to his fellow co-workers, whom he felt he had let down.

"Sorry, guys. I tried... but I just couldn't find all the flags fast enough..."

"It's okay," Lo reassured him. "It's not like it was life-or-death."

"And don't you worry about us," Reef boasted, patting Johnny on the back. "We'll make sure to not drop out as fast as you did..."

Fin elbowed Reef in the stomach, pushing him aside in the process.

"What Reef means is... we'll get 'em for you!"

"I'd appreciate that, Fin."

Johnny then turned towards Emma, who looked down and despondent... even more than he did. Lo and Fin decided that they should leave the two of them alone for a minute... and they pulled Reef away with them.

"Emma, I..."

"It's okay, Johnny. I know you tried your best. It... it just didn't work out for you today."

"Yeah... I guess it didn't."

The two gazed into each other's eyes, as if they were reaching for what to say next. After a few tense moments, Johnny decided to break the silence and go for it.

"Say, Emma, now that we have a moment to ourselves, I just want to say that I..."

"Oh, wait!" Emma interrupted. "I just remembered something! Could you do me a favor?"

"Huh? Oh, sure... anything for you."

"Great! Can you check in with Ty when you get back to the resort? I haven't heard from him in almost a month. You know, he didn't reply to my last letter."

Johnny was stunned and heartbroken by Emma's request. But, as usual, he kept all of his feelings bottled up. Besides, he couldn't get angry whenever he stared at Emma's cute face.

"S-s-sure, I'll ask him when I get back."

"Thanks, you're the best!" Emma squealed, as she wrapped her arms around him.

Johnny relaxed as he let Emma hug him, even if it the scant seconds it lasted felt like an eternity.

A few minutes later, Duncan finally returned. He was completely empty-handed, and that immediately resulted in a harsh scolding from Courtney.

"What happened? You were supposed to win the challenge? Now, you're not even in the competition anymore! You were supposed to be my partner! Who do you expect me to work with now? I can't work with any of the others here? I don't even know half of them! Didn't you think about my well-being when you decided to just throw in the towel?"

"Actually, I did," Duncan responded. "And, you know what? I just decided that I don't care about your well-being anymore."

"What?"

"I've had it, sister! We're done!"

With that, Duncan walked away from Courtney. But she wasn't having any of it, chasing after him with her voice getting louder and louder.

Once Courtney had gotten everything she wanted off her mind, whether Duncan wanted to hear it or not, the competitors gathered to say farewell to the first two male departures, Johnny and Duncan.

"It's been interesting with you two around," Allen said to them both, "but your journey here in Vancouver is done. It's time to go."

Duncan gave everyone a two finger salute and then turned about to go, which everyone but Courtney, who refused to look in his direction, acknowledged.

"Take care, everyone," Johnny said as he departed.

Most of the group waved goodbye to Johnny as he follow Duncan out, with both heading for the ride to the airport.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I know it's going to be tough only having spent one day with Emma before having to leave her again," Johnny said in relief, "but it's okay. My day will come, when I'll finally get my chance. Until then... good luck to all the guys! I hope one of you win it all!"

"I didn't need this!" Duncan stated defiantly. "I won a million dollars on 'Total Drama Action.' And she took enough of it to make everyone think we tied! I've had enough! She'd better win this, because she's getting not a cent more from me! She's not worth the crap she puts me through!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Back in front of the Convention Centre, Allen was addressing the remaining 16 competitors.

"That was a spirited Qualification Challenge," he said, "but we know who the two winners are. Cody and Courtney, great job today! Both of you will take home a Winter Olympic Games merchandise package, which is yours to keep regardless of your final result in the competition."

The other challengers applauded the result, though mostly for Cody.

"Now, as for the overall winner, and the person that gets to pick all the teams is... by a margin of just four seconds...

"Is... Cody."

"Me?"

"Him?"

"Yes, Courtney... Cody had the fastest overall time. And that means Cody that you will have your pick of any of the eight remaining girls as your partner."

"Alright!" he happily exclaimed.

"You and your partner will then be responsible for picking the other seven teams. You'll have a few hours to think it over, as well as entertain offers and suggestions from your fellow competitors. I'll ask for your decision after dinner tonight. Until then, I'll allow you to all settle in your quarters. Good luck to all of you."

Allen turned to leave, as everyone started to figure out what their next move would be. But, most importantly, their eyes were all on Cody, who now held their fates in his hands.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The next few hours are going to be fun!" Cody exclaimed. "I can't wait to see what everyone really wants... and then I get to tell them what I think they really need.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

The 16 remaining competitors headed southeast, towards their living quarters, to settle in. But how settled could they get, considering Cody's decision could easily make someone the next to go home...

To be continued...

* * *

Here's a sneak peek of what to expect from future episodes of 'Fresh from Canada.'

* * *

(Prepare to be stunned...)

"Um, guys... you have GOT to see this!" Jonesy shouted from around the corner.

Everyone ran into the now-open door leading into 501, and were amazed by what they saw inside.

"No way this can be right!" remarked Jen. "This is what they look like?"

(Stunned...)

Lindsay started down the course, heading straight for the first group of single pole gates. But instead of swerving in and out between them, she hit them straight on!

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow..."

The others winced as they heard Lindsay's cries of agony and pain.

"She does know she's supposed to go around those, right?" Lo asked the other competitors.

(And, oh... did we mentioned stunned?)

Gwen was the last to emerge out onto the ice, and all the boys were astonished at how beautiful she looked in an all-silver dress with cream-colored Cinderella-style skates.

"Is that Gwen?" Cody did a double take.

"She's not wearing any black!" Heather exclaimed. "The world must be coming to an end!"

(This February, bring your A-game...)

"Oh, put me with Lindsay!" demanded Reef.

"No no no," Jonesy interjected. "If anyone deserves to be with tall, blonde, and gorgeous, it's me!"

(No, we don't mean that type of A-game...)

"So, what do you think they're doing in there?" Wyatt asked.

"Probably makin' out," Lo deduced. "Wanna go see?"

(Oh, for heaven's sake... we mean this type of A-game!)

Jude screamed his head off as he rode his way down the luge course.

"This is the best competition **EVER**!"

Trent and Reef were fighting for a puck behind the net when suddenly when Cody suddenly comes in and body-checks Reef into the glass.

"Ooh, that was not pretty," Fin winced.

"So... what's a double toe loop again?" Jonesy asked Courtney.

Courtney threw her hands up in frustration as she headed off the ice.

(And, please, try to leave the drama at home...)

"Hey, no fair! I had first call!"

"You never called it!"

"I'm calling it now! First!"

"You can't do that!"

(Because they're competing to win, whatever it takes...)

Heather gave Jude a look as she prepared to lie down on top of him.

"Don't get any funny ideas!" she threatened him.

"Why, Heather, I have no idea what you are talking about," Jude said before stopping, thinking for a second, and then, "Oh... heh heh..."

"Just make sure I survive the ride, or else!"

(And we do mean whatever it takes!)

Before she knew it, Lindsay was hit in the back of the head with an 80-mph flying puck! The hit instantly sent her to the ice, knocking her unconscious.

"Nice using your head!" Reef called from afar.

(Because when a huge grand prize is on the line, anything goes...)

The competitor flew off the edge of the final ramp and into the air, and all eyes were on him as went for the biggest stunt of all.

"A million dollars says he lands face-first in the snow!" Duncan betted.

"You're on!" Harold agreed, before taking a step back. "Wait a minute..."

(Get ready for the jam-packed two-week event, 'Fresh from Canada,')

Fin opened the outer door to the roof deck and saw Lo lying on a lawn chair, shivering as she tried to get warm off the sun's rays.

"Grab a s-s-s-s-s-seat!" Lo called out through chattering teeth. "It's just like b-b-b-b-being back at the resort!"

"Are you crazy?" Fin shouted back. "It's freezing out here!"

Lo managed to hold up a digital thermometer so Fin could see the screen. It read 38 degrees.

"See? T-t-t-t-technically, it's not freezing yet!"

"You're acting like such a kook!" Lo growled as she slammed the door closed.

(Because, face it, the weather outside is horrible...)

Jonesy looked out the window and started complaining, to the dismay of his roommates.

"It's raining again! It's winter, and it's raining! Somebody tell me what's wrong with this picture!"

('Fresh from Canada' continues tomorrow night at 8 pm EST!)


	3. Episode Two

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Two  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

**Disclaimer:** All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"I'm done! Allen, Allen, Allen!"

It was a race to the finish in the Qualification Challenge, with Lindsay and Nikki battling for the very last girls' spot. And the winner was...

"Lindsay, congratulations! You're still in the competition!"

"Good luck, guys!" Bridgette said to the remaining competitors as she waved goodbye.

"Yeah..." Nikki started to do likewise, as Jen walked over to hug her.

As Nikki and Bridgette took an early exit from the game, it was the guys' turn to compete...

"Alright, let's do this!" Tyler said aloud.

Again, those with smarts seemed to rise to the top, as Cody surprised everyone by edging out Wyatt for first place...

"And it's Cody with the win on the boys' side!" Allen announced.

"Great job, Cody!" Gwen congratulated him from the sidelines.

And Jonesy finishing eighth, staying alive by the skin of his teeth...

"I'm in, right?" Jonesy asked Allen. "Tell me I'm in!"

"Congratulations, Jonesy, you've finished eighth and are still in the competition!"

Leaving Johnny and Duncan on the outside looking in, to two different reactions...

"It's okay, Johnny. I know you tried your best. It... it just didn't work out for you today."

"Yeah... I guess it didn't."

"Didn't you think about my well-being when you decided to just throw in the towel?"

"Actually, I did," Duncan responded. "And, you know what? I just decided that I don't care about your well-being anymore."

With Courtney upset over losing Duncan, she probably wasn't pleased that Cody beat her out for overall first place, which leaves the sole decision of picking teams in his hands. Will he make the obvious choice for a partner, or will he surprise everyone with it?

Find out tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

Following the Qualification Challenge, the 16 remaining competitors made their way to living quarters at 12 Athletes Way. Once inside, they all rode the elevator to the fifth floor. A note, as well as all their luggage, awaited them in the hallway once they arrived there.

"Welcome to the Vancouver Olympic Village," Trent read the note aloud. "Guys are in 501 and 502, gals in 503 and 504. Four people to an apartment, all have roof deck access... and meet downstairs in the lobby at six for dinner. Dress nicely."

"Um, guys... you have **GOT** to see this!" Jonesy shouted from around the corner.

Everyone ran into the now-open door leading into 501, and were amazed by what they saw inside.

"No way this can be right!" remarked Jen. "This is what they look like?"

"This is incredible!" Reef exclaimed. "I've never been in a place this nice, ever!"

Gwen, Cody, and Jude ran out to the balcony through the sliding door, and gasped at the incredible view. They were overlooking the Community Centre, and not too far beyond that were the boat docks.

"Now this is what I call living!" Cody told Gwen.

"It makes up for Camp Wawanakwa and the movie set trailers, that's for sure!"

"These are the bedrooms?" they heard Tyler ask from inside. "Sweet!"

Glancing at the big window to their left, they saw the bedroom Tyler was in, along with Trent and Wyatt, looked out onto the balcony. Inside, the room was completely furnished, and it included two full size beds.

Over in 503, Lo had found the matching room in that apartment. But what excited her even more was the walk-in closet.

"No way!" she squealed. "I knew I should've brought more clothes!"

"You got the seaview?" Emma wondered as she trotted in. "Awesome! We're so taking this one!"

"But... one problem..."

"There's only two beds in here."

"It's okay," Fin reassured them as she came up behind Emma. "I saw the other bedroom. Sure, it's a little smaller, and it has no view. But hey, it's a nice comfy bed."

"Hey, this whole apartment is still smaller than my room back at the resort," Lo remarked, "but it's nice in a pinch."

Unfortunately, things weren't as easy to resolve in 504.

"I got here first, so it's my room!" Heather yelled.

"We're supposed to share rooms!" Courtney yelled back. "Oh, and I was here first!"

Jen entered 504 and heard all of the bickering. She shook her head as she headed over to resolve the problem.

"Hey, look... it doesn't matter which one of you were first! What matters is that you were the first two here, and that you get to keep the room."

"She's right," Heather said, calming down. "If no one else wants it, then we have it all to ourselves!"

"Agreed," Courtney nodded. "That only leaves one issue."

"And what would that be?"

"I call the bed closest to the window!" screamed Courtney as she bolted for it.

"Hey, no fair! I had first call!"

"You never called it!"

"I'm calling it now! First!"

"You can't do that!"

"Ugh!" Jen threw her hands up in frustration. "You two are so... I'm going to the other apartment!"

"You're too late on that one," Gwen told her as she walked in. "Lindsay's already called the last bed in 503. That just leaves us..."

Gwen then heard the arguing from Heather and Courtney coming from the other bedroom.

"Heather and Courtney, huh?"

Jen nodded.

"And here I thought I was getting away from the drama," Gwen commented as she opened the door to the other bedroom.

"Are they always like this?"

"Trust me... this is only the tip of the iceberg..."

After things has settled down, Cody started trying to figure out how to set up all of the teams. He already had a pen and a notepad, and was already entertaining suggestions from roommates Trent, Harold, and Tyler.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Picking the pairings it's going to be tough," Cody said. "Everyone has an idea of who they want to be partnered up with, but the thing is, I can't please everyone. Especially if two guys want the same girl, or vice versa."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"So here's how I see it," Harold suggested. "I think the fairest thing to do would be to figure out we think deserves to win and who doesn't. Then we put all the winners together and the same with the others... and hopefully we'll get them all kicked off first!"

"That's crazy talk!" Tyler cut in. "I say we go by finishing order. The first-place guy and the first-place girl are paired, and so on..."

"Are you suggesting Cody get paired up with Courtney?" Trent rebutted, following Tyler's line of logic.

The three guys turned to Cody to see what he thought.

"Heh heh... no comment."

"No comment?" Trent repeated.

"You gotta say yes or you gotta say no," Tyler added. "You can't fall in the middle."

"I just haven't decided yet!" Cody reiterated.

"I have an idea!" Harold piped in. "Why don't we just stick Courtney with the weakest guy! Then she's sure to be the next to go home!"

"I guess that's you then!" Tyler fired back.

"Hey!"

"But Courtney's not my biggest concern..." Cody stated bluntly. "I'm actually stumped about who to pair with... Gwen."

Trent froze up at the mention of her name, as their break-up was still a touchy subject.

"That is a good point," nodded Harold in agreement. "Who knows if Gwen and Trent will be able to work together without any problems."

"Cody, don't you have history with Gwen?" Tyler asked, which got a reaction out of both Cody and Trent.

"What?" Cody panicked as Trent gave him the eye. "No, not like that!"

"I know it's a little late, Cody, but getting Gwen on the rebound? What kind of guy are you?"

"Look, I know I've had feelings for Gwen before, but I'm not planning to go for it now that she's back on the market..."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I really mean it," Cody reassured himself. "Yes, with first choice I could pick Gwen if I wanted to. But does that mean that I will? Absolutely no... actually, let me think about it..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Tell you what," Cody said to Trent. "Gwen surely has her ideas. When I talk to her later, I'll abide by whomever she chooses."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I think we owe to her to allow her to pick her partner. Whether it be you, me, or someone else. Alright?"

"I can live with that."

"Good. Now, who do you guys all actually want to be with..."

Cody eventually made his way to the other apartments to see whom everyone else wanted... and the answered were pretty varied. And by varied, that actually meant picking their 'dream dates.'

"Oh, put me with Lindsay!" demanded Reef.

"No no no," Jonesy interjected. "If anyone deserves to be with tall, blonde, and gorgeous, it's me!"

"Tyler!" Emma told Cody. "I have to, have to be with Tyler!"

"But I want Tyler!" Lo whined. "Why don't you take Trent instead?"

"Why don't you take him?"

"Now that I think of it," Jude said, "I'm really into that Asian girl..."

"You'd better give me Trent, if you know what's good for you," Heather sternly warned.

But Cody saved the best for last. Gwen, and she was up on the roof deck.

"I really don't have a preference," Gwen said to Cody. "I just want someone I know I can work with."

"Wow... you mean you don't want to work with Trent?"

"Trent? Well... um... I... I'm not quite sure I'm up for that. Nothing against him. I... I just don't think I'm ready to be that close to him again this soon."

"Aw, man," Cody grumbled, looking at his notepad. "And here I thought you'd be the easy one."

Gwen raised an eyebrow in displeasure. "The easy one?"

"Oh, wait, not like that, Gwen! I just... I just hoped that you would actually pick someone no one has already. Almost all the girls want Trent or Tyler, the guys want Lindsay or Heather."

Gwen chuckled as she took the pad from Cody and glanced over his notes.

"Lindsay, I understand. But Heather? Those other guys must have not seen our show. Wait... you haven't picked anyone yet?"

Cody shook his head. "I haven't decided yet... all I know is I don't want Lindsay or Heather."

Gwen smiled as she took a seat on the ledge and beckoned Cody to plop down next to her.

"Why don't I help you out with that?"

Cody flashed a teethy smile of his own, as the two got to work trying to assemble the teams with the sun already starting to go down.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Again, reiterating that I'm **NOT** easy!" Gwen defended herself. "I'm just helping Cody out of a jam, as a friend. Although I'm a little upset none of the guys want me as a teammate."

"Heh heh," Cody rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "In that brief time I spent with Gwen up on the roof, I realized how ideal a partner she really would be with me! It sure would be great if I could make that wish come true..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Dressed in some of their best stunning attire, some more stunning than others, the 16 teenagers were whisked away in two limousines to the Blue Water Cafe and Raw Bar, one of Vancouver's most prestigious restaurants. They were immediately escorted into the restaurant and to a roped VIP area, where Allen was waiting for them at a 17-head table.

"Will you look at this place?" Trent said out loud. "Unbelievable!"

"We never got treated like this back on TDI!" stated Gwen.

Once everyone took a seat at the table, Allen officially greeted them.

"Welcome to the Blue Water Cafe and Raw Bar, everyone! One of the finest restaurants not only in Vancouver, but in all of Canada! I hope you came hungry, because you all are gonna eat well tonight! Let's bring out the food!"

Three waiters came in to the VIP area, each pushing a cart with an assortment of appetizers. Most of them contained food that likely none of them had ever eaten before, but they looked delicious all the same.

"Try the Garlic Prawns," Lo suggested. "They're delicious!"

"Really?" Lindsay wondered as she took a plate. "What's in them?"

"Well," the waiter told them, "there's ratatouille..."

Jonesy, Harold, and Emma, who had both already started eating the Prawns, promptly spat them back out.

"It's made up of rats?" Jonesy asked. "Gross!"

"Don't mind them," Lo told the waiter. "They'll figure it out..."

As the meal continued on with the main course and dessert, everyone started to enjoy not only the food, but each other's company.

"And that is how I survived being attacked by giant mutant beavers," Harold wrapped up his story.

"That's amazing!" Fin exclaimed.

"I am so glad we don't have any of those here!" Reef said with relief.

"Why? Would you freak out if you saw one?"

"Me? Of course not! Giant mutant beavers coming after me ever? Not very likely!"

Elsewhere at the table...

"And I couldn't believe it!" Emma remembered happily. "My first ever surfing contest, and I didn't fall off my board once!"

"That was sick, dudette!" Jude said with a smile. "It feels good to shoot the wave, doesn't it?"

"It's the best!"

"That reminds me... Bridgette said she was a surfer," Gwen told them, "but I've never actually seen her on the water. I'm sure she'd be glad to give you some pointers."

"I didn't know that about her! I knew I felt some kind of special connection between us!"

But, alas, the dinner had to come to an end at some point, because there was business to take care of. Allen stood up at the head of the table and had Cody get up and stand to his left.

"Okay, Cody, the time has come!" Allen said to him. "You've had some time to think about it. Now, it's the moment of truth... which of the ladies are you picking as your teammate and why?"

Cody looked around at the others around the table, and then he gave his answer.

"First off, I'd just like to say the reason I picked this person is that I wanted someone who I could work well together with and that we gave each other the best chance of winning. So that's why I decided to pick... Jen."

"Me?" a perplexed Jen thought out loud while pointing to herself.

"Whoa..." Gwen commented. "Didn't see that coming."

"Jen, if you would please come up here and join Cody..."

Jen did as Allen had ordered and took her place next to her new partner.

"You seem a little surprised," Allen deduced. "You weren't expecting this?"

"Honestly, I didn't. Nothing against you, Cody, but you weren't one of the guys I was hoping to be partnered with. Still, I'm ready to work with him and make sure we win this competition!"

"That's the spirit! For that, you and Cody get this..."

Everyone turned their heads as a waiter wheeled a cart with eight similar shaped boxes. Each of them was a different color: gold, silver, red, white, green, brown, blue, and orange. The cart was stopped in front of Allen, who took the gold-colored box off and threw it at Jen.

"Heads up!"

Jen stuck her hands out and caught it with no problem.

"Would you please open the box and show the contents to everyone?"

"Allow me!" Cody said as he took the lid off the box while Jen held it.

After tossing the lid aside, Cody reached and pulled out two scarves. Gold-colored ones, with the Fresh TV Inc. logo on one end and an embroidered Canadian flag on the other.

"Cody and Jen, for being the first team, you guys are now the Gold Team! You guys are required to wear those when you come to all of the challenges, and you may also be asked to have them on during as well!"

"These aren't half bad!" Jen commented as she put hers on.

"And before anyone starts entertaining thoughts of jealousy, all of you will be getting scarves as well! They all look exactly the same, save for the colors, of course. Now, Gold Team... it's time to decide what the other partnerships will be. Starting with the Silver Team..."

Cody and Jen had a quick discussion before making their decision.

"The Silver Team will be Gwen and Trent," Cody announced.

Gwen and Trent got out of their seats and took their place next to Cody and Jen. They were both smiling, but at the same time, they felt uneasy about being partnered up.

"Next up is the Red Team. Cody and Jen, your picks?"

"This one's easy," Jen noted. "Reef and Fin."

"I have to be with Fin?" Reef objected, jumping out of his seat. "Seriously?"

"Hey, you're no picnic either," Fin said nonchalantly as she walked past him.

Reef relented and joined Fin at the front of the room.

"Next!" Allen called out. "How about... the Blue Team?"

"Don't have me for this, guys, but..." Cody warned, "Lindsay and... Harold."

"WHAT?" all the other guys, minus Harold, yelled aloud.

"I'm with Harold?" Lindsay shouted aloud. "I couldn't have asked for a better partner!"

"Who's the man now?" Harold stated to no one in particular.

As they made their way to the front, Jen whispered an idea for the next team into Cody's ear.

"Okay, the White Team's up. Four guys and four gals left to choose from!"

"For the White Team," Jen said as she stepped forward, "how about Jonesy and... Courtney."

"Me?" Courtney protested, pointing at Jonesy. "With him?"

"Not my first choice, Jen," Jonesy said to his step-sister, "but then again..."

Jonesy raised his eyes suggestively at Courtney. The overachiever responded... by reaching over the table and emptying the leftover contents of her salad bowl on Jonesy's hair.

"I'm here to win, not to flirt!" Courtney warned him. "Got it?"

Courtney then walked over to the front of the room. Jonesy joined her a few seconds later, after shaking off the salad and shooting a displeased look at Jen as he walked past her.

"You owe me one..."

"I know," Jen groaned, already regretting her decision.

"Wow!" Allen exclaimed. "Great pairing so far, guys! Can you keep it up with the Green Team!"

"Alright, then..." Cody began, "let's put together Emma and..."

Before Cody could state who Emma's partner was, Jen cupped his mouth with her right hand.

"Emma will be with Tyler," finished Jen.

"Really!" Emma squealed excitedly, getting out of her seat and giving Jen a hug.

As Emma celebrated, Tyler took the decision in stride as he smoothly walked up to the others.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Cody whispered in Jen's ear.

"Trust me," Jen whispered back.

"That leaves just two teams to choose... the Orange Team and the Brown Team. Who's your next pick, Gold Team?"

Jen and Cody conversed for a couple of seconds, and then Cody told everyone of their decision.

"For the Orange Team, we're going to put Jude and Heather together."

"Awesome!" Jude nodded his head. "Thanks, Jen!"

Heather sighed. "Well... it's better than nothing..."

Jude and Heather got up, which left at the table...

"And by default," Allen told the final two, "Wyatt and Lo, you two will be the Brown Team."

"But brown clashes with all of my outfits!" complained Lo.

"Sorry, but all decisions are final," Allen told her while tossing her the brown box.

Allen then gave the other teams their boxes, allowing the competitors to adorn themselves in their respective team colors.

"Whether you like your partner or not," Allen told the eight teams, "you'd better learn to work with them fast. First challenge is tomorrow... and one team's going to be sent home afterwards! Have a good night!"

With that, the teams left the restaurant, heading back to the Olympic Village to get acquainted, rest up, and prepare for tomorrow...

* * *

The following morning, Wyatt emerged from his apartment to see a gift basket with fruit, a loaf of bread, and a tub of cream cheese in it.

"Must be breakfast," Wyatt noted, before spotting an iPhone amongst the fruit.

Wyatt picked it up, and saw a post-it on the screen that said 'Turn on, read mail now.' He grabbed the basket with one hand and turned on the iPhone with the other as headed back inside.

"Dude, is that breakfast?" Jude greeted, emerging from the bedroom stretching his arms out.

"About time!" Jonesy shouted from the dining room. "I'm starving!"

Jude took the basket and ran over to Jonesy. Wyatt paid no mind as the iPhone turned on and he tried to search for the mail inbox.

"Bread and fruit? I want eggs and bacon! Man, I thought they were supposed to be treating us like celebrities!"

"Well, Jonesy," Wyatt said, "it looks like it's time for the real competition to begin. It says here the bus to the challenge leaves at nine, and to dress warmly with tights, if you have them."

"Tights? What are we doing, anyway?"

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders. "I guess we'll find out when we get there."

Fast forward to nine o'clock, where the eight teams were seen boarding a bus to the challenge. All of them were wearing their team color scarves, and the partnerships as chosen by Cody and Jen were starting to take hold.

Interactions within teams and with other teams was limited, as the focus seemed to be on the upcoming first team challenge. And even those were short and to the point, as it was only a short trip to their first Olympic venue... the Pacific Coliseum.

Once inside, the eight teams made their way down from the concourse to the arena floor, which was set up as a rink. A rink that had an oval-shaped arrangement of cone-shaped course markers near the center.

"Good morning, athletes!" Allen greeted them. "Welcome to the Pacific Coliseum! Today, your Olympic journey hits full speed! And what better way to signify that by assigning you your first Olympic challenge. This... is Short Track Speed Skating!"

"Short Track Speed Skating?" Lindsay repeated. "What's that?"

"Simply put, tonight, as pairs, you'll be racing against each other on skates down there. You've got one simple goal... win the race. Because of the small track, you'll be split into two heats at random. Top two finishers of each heat go to the final, and the winner of the final wins the challenge.

"You'll want to win for two reasons. First off... there's a prize involved. The winning team gets their own Apple iPhone, courtesy of us... and it includes us paying for your first year of service, free of charge to you."

The group applauded and cheered upon hearing that.

"Second, and more importantly if you want to get one step closer to the grand prize, is that the winning team will have a hand in deciding which team is kicked out of the competition."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Speed skating?" Emma cried out. "I don't even know how to skate regularly!"

"Skating?" Cody chuckled nervously. "Shouldn't be... too... hard..."

"Learning how to skate shouldn't be too hard, right?" remarked a confident Reef. "It's just like surfing..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Minutes later, we see most of the competitors stepping onto the ice for the first time... and may with disastrous results! Emma was seen falling on her butt after only getting just one skate on the ice; Reef actually managed to keep his balance until he actually tried to move at speed; Cody struggled just to keep upright as he clung to the wall; Heather was okay until she tried to turn around... and promptly tripped over her own legs.

"Anyone think we should've been offered lessons?" Harold thought out loud, still in the process of putting his skates on.

"I believe someone's already doing the offering," Lo noted slyly, pointing out at Trent and Gwen.

The two former lovebirds and now partners were trying to prop each other up, albeit at arm's length, as they got accustomed to moving on the ice.

"They look cute together... why did they break up again?"

"It's too long of a story to explain, Lo," her own teammate, Wyatt, told her. "You need help?"

"No thanks! I learned how to skate when I was five. But I've never done speed skating, though..."

Meanwhile, Jen, Jonesy, Jude, Courtney, and Lindsay were already showing off their experience, flying around the rink.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Ha!" Courtney laughed. "If all of the competitions are like this, then you might as well give me the gold medal right now. I'm serious... give it to me right now!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

With some help from some of the more experienced skaters, everyone was starting to get more comfortable on the ice. But the other part of the deal was learning how to speed skate - short track style!

And for that, the group had two teachers to learn from.

"Okay, there's not much to learning how to speed skate," one of them told the group, "but getting good at it is another thing."

"We're going to give you a quick crash course in the discipline," the other remarked. "We'll be moving fast, so try and keep up!"

"First off... learning how to move on the track!"

"You need to keep your center of gravity low to reduce drag! Squat down slightly, but not so much as to impede your legs from moving. Then, lean forward until your body is parallel to ice from the waist up!"

The teachers demonstrated the proper form and everyone attempted to follow... with mostly good results.

"Not bad, guys! Now... let's try it while moving!"

Doing it while moving, however, was a different story, with nearly all of the inexperienced skaters having balance issues.

"Next is learning how to turn at speed..."

"Make sure you're leaning left just enough for your left hand to touch the ice!" one teacher told the group as the other demonstrated. "Just enough of the fingertips to guide you through the turn. If you do it right, you'll be able to turn right along the inner edge of the track!"

Minutes later, everyone was hard at work practicing turning. Once they had perfected doing it at a slow speed, they then tried it at normal race speed.

"And the last two parts are racing in a pack and passing. Most likely for the first few laps, it's typical for one person to take the lead and everyone to follow right behind. Then, towards the end, the ones that are trailing will have to make a move to get past the person in front of them..."

"That's it, guys, you've got it!"

Jonesy, Jude, Tyler, and Trent had, after a few tries, successfully managed to form a park, albeit at a low, controlled speed, and were switching positions in line with relative ease.

"I think you're all ready!" the teachers declared.

The competitors were then shown the way to the locker rooms, where they were greeted with their own competition-worthy speed suits. Each was tailored to each individual's specific body shapes. A pair of gloves and leggings were also provided, for their comfort.

"I don't know about you guys," Reef said to the other boys, "but I suddenly feel the need! The need... for speed!"

Minutes later, the guys were all back on the ice, all decked out in their skin-tight suits. Almost all of them seemed pleased. That is, with the exception of Harold...

"Can we hurry up?" he asked Allen. "This thing really chafes!"

"Impressive," Allen noted. "Let's see if the girls are just as much!"

The girls came out onto the ice, and sure enough, their suits fit them really well... if the whistles from some of the boys were any indication.

"Whoa!" Jude gasped.

"I think I've died and gone to heaven!" Jonesy said with glee.

But it went both ways, as Emma and Lo were seen eyeing up a few of the guys.

"It's like being at the beach, only the bodies are rock hard!" Lo babbled.

"Alright, enough ogling!" Allen said to all of them. "Silver, Orange, White, and Brown teams... you're up first! Everyone else is in the second heat! Let's get to it!"

* * *

Gwen, Lindsay, Courtney, and Lo were lined up just a few feet from the starting line from inside to outside, respectively, while their partners, Trent, Harold, Jonesy, and Wyatt waited on the inside. Everyone else was sitting in the first row of seats in front of the starting line, ready to watch the action.

Allen stood a few feet in front of the line, just to the inside of the cones, with a starting gun being held in his right hand.

"Here are the rules of the race," he began to explain. "The girls will make five-and-a-half circuits around the track. They will then tag their partners, who will make five-and-a-half circuits themselves, in order to finish the race. Note that it is the responsibility of the teammate not on the track to keep track of their partner's progress! Remember, only the first two teams to cross the finish line will move on to the finals! Understand?"

After receiving a round of nods from the competitors, Allen turned his attention to the girls.

"Ladies, there will be two starting signals. I will say 'Ready,' and then you all step up to the line and hold in a ready position. I will then fire the gun, at which point the race begins! There is one and only one 'community' false start. In other words, if someone jumps the gun, everyone is charged with a false start and we'll try again. Anyone who jumps on the second and any other further attempts is disqualified and is out of the race, no questions asked. Okay?"

Upon getting another affirmatory nod from the ladies, Allen got into position.

"Ready..." Allen said, raising his pistol into the air.

The girls moved up to the line, and then...

BANG!

The four competitors raced for the first turn, and Courtney got there first. Lindsay was right behind her, with Lo immediately on her outside, and Gwen hanging back, bringing up the rear. They could hear the cheers from the other competitors as they reached the backstretch and towards the second turn. Courtney was going at a fast pace, trying to leave behind the others, while Lo had settled in behind Lindsay as the two kept up.

As for Gwen...

"C'mon, Gwen!" Trent shouted encouragingly. "Catch up!"

Gwen heard Trent, but didn't respond as she was too focused on keeping a steady pace... even if she was going a little slower than the others.

Very quickly, the laps went by. One. Two. Three and four. Then four-and-a-half. One lap to go, and although Courtney was still just in front of Lindsay and Lo, their pace had slowed from their frantic start. Gwen was still at the back, but was gaining some ground. The guys got onto the track to prepare for the tag.

And then, coming out of their second-to-last turn, Lindsay went a bit wide on exit. That allowed Lo to get by. Lindsay's loss of momentum was also enough for Gwen to come up on her inside as they headed for the final turn.

Just ahead, Courtney and Lo were about to reach their partners. But while Wyatt started to slowly move forward, Jonesy remained stationary. By the time Jonesy realized his mistake, Courtney was almost into his back. Somehow, she slammed on the brakes and got slowed down enough to bowl him over. But the screwed-up exchange allowed Lo to tag Wyatt without incident, and the Brown Team took the lead.

"Go, go!" Courtney yelled at Jonesy.

Trent and Harold had seen enough to quick realize not to make the same mistake, and they received their tags from Gwen and Lindsay, respectively, without any problems.

But up front, Wyatt had jumped out to a huge lead as he crossed the start/finish line, signifying five laps to go. Jonesy had managed to not fall further than second, but Trent was now right behind him. Harold was a couple strides behind those two, desperately trying to make up time.

Exhausted from their skating, Courtney, Lo, Gwen, and Lindsay got to the center and caught their collective breaths as they tried to keep track of the race going around them on the outside.

Jonesy was going at a torrid pace, but Trent kept with him as the two started to close the gap on Wyatt. Two laps later, with three to go, they were only a stride-and-a-half back.

"C'mon, Wyatt!" Lo shouted. "You can do it!"

Despite Lo's cheering, Jonesy and Trent were now right on Wyatt's tail, and it was a three-team race as they came up on the two-to-go mark. Jonesy moved to the outside as they entered the turn, going to pass Wyatt. He managed to pull alongside as they reached the backstretch, with Trent deciding to stay behind Wyatt instead of following Jonesy.

They stayed that way through the next turn, and then it all broke loose as Allen rung a handheld bell, signifying the start of the final lap. Trent sprung wide to the outside and beat Jonesy to the turn, while Wyatt picked it up as he continued to stay to the inside. But Trent had already gathered too much speed, and he took the lead heading down the backstretch. Jonesy got back alongside Wyatt, who was starting to fade. The two remained side-by-side, but neither were able to mount a final charge to catch Trent.

Trent crossed the finish first, and Jonesy leaned in just enough to beat Wyatt at the line for the second and final transfer spot. Harold was a distant fourth, crossing more than two seconds later.

"Silver and White Teams, moving on to the finals!" Allen announced.

"Time for heat two! Everyone ready?"

The girls in the second heat were lined up, from inside to outside, Emma, Jen, Fin, and Heather. Their teammates, Tyler, Cody, Reef, and Jude, respectively, waited on the inside of the track.

"Ready!"

The four of them moved to the line and prepared for the gun...

BANG!

They skated out for the first turn, and Jen immediately got to the front of the line. Fin and Heather filed in directly behind her. As for Emma, she slipped going into the first turn and, though she stayed on her feet, ended up making a wider turn.

The leading trio seemed content to just ride along as they started to make laps around the rink. Emma, meanwhile, struggled to make tight enough turns to keep pace, and was quickly falling out of contention.

"Dig in, Emma!" Lo called out. "You can still catch up!"

But Emma's partner, Tyler, was already getting worried.

"Emma, come on! Lean into those turns!"

Tentatively, Emma leaned more into the ice with her left hand. But she ended up going a little too far while trying to put her palm down. What little traction on her skates she had gave out, and her whole body fell to the ice, left side first. She slid all the way to the far corner of the turn, where she collided with the padded walls.

At this point, she was already more than half a lap back, so Fin saw Emma's tumble as she exited the far turn.

"Emma!"

Fin skated out of the racing line, allowing Heather to take second, as she went over to help her fallen friend up from the ice.

"Fin, what are you doing?" Reef shouted. "What about the race?"

"Are you okay?" Fin asked her friend as she came to a stop.

"A little sore," Emma winced, "but I'm fine."

"Fin!" Reef yelled even louder.

"Don't worry about me," Emma said to Fin. "Get back in the race."

"No! Not until I know you'll be okay."

Fin helped Emma to her feet and started guiding her to the rink exit, staying on the far outside to not impede Jen or Heather, both of whom were almost finished and were at this point a lap away from tagging their respective teammates.

Once they were off the ice, the two girls were met by paramedics, who took over and began examining Emma, checking for any injuries.

"I can't believe you gave up the race for me!"

"Don't worry, Emma. There'll be plenty of other races."

Back on the track, Jen tagged Cody, about half a second ahead of Heather's tag of Jude.

"Just take your time, Cody!" Jen shouted.

Cody heeded his partner's advice and methodically made his way around the track. But Jude was going at a faster speed, and he got ahead of Cody without any fight.

A few laps later, Jude comfortably finished ahead of Cody... but both of their teams would be moving onto the finals.

Off the ice, Emma's check-up had been completed.

"Nothing broken, thankfully," Emma reported to the nearest camera. "My left arm's a little sore because I landed on it, but I should be fine. I'm more worried about how I let my teammate down. I hope Tyler isn't upset."

Speaking of which, he had just stepped off the ice and was coming over to check on her.

"I'm sorry I let you down," Emma said despondently.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Tyler replied.

Onto the finals! Jen, Gwen, Heather, and Courtney were at the line ready to take off. All they were waiting for was the...

BANG!

The race began with Jen and Courtney side-by-side going into the first turn, with Heather and Gwen right behind. Courtney skated as hard as she could to get to the head of the pack, and she did so with little resistance from Jen, who settled into second.

Courtney continued to push the pace as they rounded the far turn and completed the first lap. Jen matched her stride-for-stride, and Heather and Gwen did all they could to try and keep up.

The pace stayed that way until the last lap-and-a-half of their run. Courtney found herself unable to stay at her accelerated pace, which allowed Jen, in somewhat better shape, to get on the outside and eventually take over the lead. In fact, before she knew it, Courtney had fallen back into Heather's clutches. Heather got alongside and Courtney mustered the last of her strength to stay in second.

Ahead, Jen had opened up a three-stride lead as she reached in front of her and gave Cody a tagging push.

"Go, Cody, Go!"

Cody took off around the turn, as Jonesy and Jude received their tags and went in pursuit. Gwen was the last to tag her teammate, and Trent found himself well more than a second back.

Cody skated around the track as fast as he could muster, but Jonesy and Jude were working together and they closed the gap within a lap. The two of them then went around Cody, passing him on the outside. Cody picked up the pace and was managing to stay with them.

But now he had to worry about Trent, who was now catching up to him.

At the front, Jude attempted to make a move for the lead. But Jonesy fought off the challenge and remained in front.

"Pick it up!" Courtney exclaimed. "Trent's catching up to you!"

Jonesy quickly glanced back and saw that Trent was in the process of passing Cody and was right behind him and Jude. Trent remained on the outside as he claimed third and the racers got the three to go call. Slowly but surely, Trent got alongside Jude as the pace intensified, leaving Cody behind in the dust.

Two to go... Trent was still on the outside, but had edged ahead of Jude to get to second place.

And then came the final lap...

At the sound of bell, Jonesy blasted off at full speed, and Trent and Jude followed suit. Trent went as hard as possible to try and pull up to Jonesy's outside. But as they emerged from the final turn, he learned he was out of time. Jonesy crossed the finish line first, sending Courtney into a celebratory tizzy. Trent was a close second, with Jude back in third, and Cody a distant fourth.

"Did I ever say how awesome you are?" Courtney squealed as she gave Jonesy a hug.

"I'm beginning to like this partnership more and more," Jonesy said with a smile.

"Nice, dude!" Jude acknowledged, before being pulled away by an angry Heather.

"No congratulating the enemy," she growled.

"Enemy? It's just Jonesy!"

"Congratulations to the White Team!" Allen said as he presented Courtney and Jonesy with imitation gold medals. "You guys have won today's challenge!"

"It was a piece of cake," Jonesy admitted.

"Cake? It was as easy as pie!" corrected Courtney.

"You each win an iPhone, courtesy of Apple. But, even more importantly, you now get to send two teams into the Elimination Challenge."

"The Elimination Challenge?" reiterated Trent.

"Yes. Courtney and Jonesy, you will pick two teams to go back onto the ice and compete for the right to stay in the game. The team that loses the challenge... will be sent home and is out of the running!"

"That's how eliminations will go?"

"Yes, Heather. Now, Courtney and Jonesy, you have thirty seconds to decide which two teams you're putting into the Elimination Challenge."

"What? Only thirty seconds? That's not enough time!" complained Jonesy.

"No need," Courtney cut in. "I've already made my decision for us."

"You have?"

Courtney nodded. "Emma and Tyler, and Harold and Lindsay!"

"You're sending us in?" Lindsay questioned.

"Figures," Harold scowled. "She still holds grudges against both of us."

"And what about us?" Tyler wondered. "What did we do to upset you?"

"We never finished the challenge," Emma reminded him.

"That's right. You're obviously not worthy enough to be here."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Jonesy asked Courtney.

"I'm just telling the truth."

"Courtney's reasons are her reasons alone," Allen stated, "no matter your opinion on them. She's selected the Green Team and the Blue Team. If you guys would step over here by me."

The two teams made their way over to Allen.

"Now, it's time to describe today's Elimination Challenge. It's called the 'Speed Skate Chase.' The two teams will start on opposite ends of the track. Your goal is, simply, to catch and pass the other team on the track. The team that 'chases down' the other team remains in the competition. The other team is sent home.

"Do you guys understand the rules?"

The Blue and Green Teams nodded.

"Very well. You four get back on the ice. The rest of you, up into the stands to watch the fun unfold!"

The 12 competitors guaranteed to compete in the next challenge looked on anxiously from their front-row seats. Down on the ice, Emma and Tyler stood ready at the start/finish line, while Harold and Lindsay were set up on the other side.

"Both teams will take off at the sound of the gun," Allen shouted to the four of them. "Are you guys ready?"

"Ready!"

"Then let's get this Elimination Challenge started!"

BANG!

Harold and Lindsay took off in tandem, while Tyler sprinted out ahead of Emma. The 12 others in the stand cheered for who they wanted to win, though most seemed to be in Emma and Tyler's corner.

Tyler was using his athletic prowess, which he didn't get to show off in the challenge, to start closing the gap on the Blue Team. But Harold and Lindsay were working together to chase down Emma, who was very tentative as she made her way around the track.

"Emma's not faring too well," Lo observed.

"You can do it, Emma!" Fin yelled. "Give it everything you got!"

Hearing Fin's cries of encouragement, Emma gritted her teeth and tried to concentrate on her form. It worked, as Harold and Lindsay suddenly found themselves unable to get closer than about a quarter-lap.

But then the worst happened...

On the other side of the track, Tyler had lost his footing going into the turn, causing him to fall onto the ice and slide all the way to the wall. As he tried to scramble back to his feet, he saw Emma coming into the turn, and Harold and Lindsay not too far behind. Tyler was up and getting back on track, but Harold and Lindsay flew past him as he was getting up to speed.

"Tyler, you're out!"

With Tyler out, Lindsay rocketed past her partner Harold and went to chase down Emma. Hearing that her partner had been passed, Emma started losing focus again and her form didn't hold up as she went through the turns.

Eventually, Lindsay saw her chance. When Emma slid a little outside and left a big enough hole for Lindsay to squeeze by inside, she took advantage of it. Lindsay passed Emma as they came out of the turn, and that brought an end to the challenge.

"It's over!" Allen called out. "The race is over! The Blue Team wins!"

"Hurray!" Lindsay shouted.

"Ha!" Harold pumped his fist, then pointed at Courtney. "Take that!"

Courtney just rolled her eyes, unimpressed by Harold's gesture.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"That ought to show Courtney that she'd better watch her back!" Harold said. "Lindsay and I refuse to go unless she's gone first!"

"This isn't Total Drama Action anymore, Courtney!" Lindsay said with a smile. "It's a whole new ballgame, and I intend to win!"

"I guess... I guess this is it," Emma sighed with disappointment. "I never thought it would be over this soon."

"I can't believe I fell!" Tyler exclaimed. "To go out like this? Man, what kind of jock am I?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

At center ice, it was time for Allen to formally announce the winners of the Elimination Challenge.

"Well, Blue Team, you got it done today. You have survived the Elimination Challenge and are still in the running for our Olympic-sized grand prize! Congratulations!"

Most of the other competitors (in other words, everyone except for Courtney) applauded their efforts. Harold and Lindsay rose their arms into the air in triumph as Allen turned his attention to Tyler and Emma.

"Unfortunately, we do have to say goodbye to a team today. It's the Green Team. Tyler and Emma, you took a couple of bad falls today. It's the way it goes sometimes, but... the competition is over. It's time for you two to go."

Fin and Lo ran over and gave their friend Emma a consoling hug. Tyler glanced over at Lindsay, hoping she'd show some equivalent farewell sign. Alas, all he got was a wave goodbye and...

"See you later, alligator!" Lindsay shouted out to him.

Tyler's shoulders drooped, and he turned about and started to walk towards the exit. Emma said her final goodbyes and followed him out.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I suppose that's it for me," Tyler admitted. "If it wasn't going to happen this time, it's not happening ever. All I wanted to know is... why didn't she tell me that she had move on to someone else?"

"Things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to," Emma stated honestly, "but I think all that matters is that I had fun. I got to spend time with Lo, Fin, Reef, and Johnny again, and I can't wait to see them again when summer comes around. Until then... good luck, guys! Win one for me!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"And with that, we're down to 14," Allen said, addressing the remaining competitors. "Courtney and Jonesy, congratulations on winning the challenge once again. But don't get too cocky... a new one starts tomorrow, and another team will be put up on the chopping block.

"Until then... have a good night!"

With that, the seven remaining teams headed out of the arena, to change back into their regular clothes and go back to their apartments to relax until tomorrow...

To be continued...

* * *

(On the next episode of 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"We've got to seriously consider how to get Courtney off the show," Harold said aloud.

"Well," Lindsay responded, "we could just win the challenge and put her up for elimination..."

(The plotting and scheming starts to take place...)

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

Heather crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at the camera lens.

"I hate Lindsay, I hate Courtney, and I especially hate Gwen! And I'll do whatever I have to do to get them all eliminated!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(But who's trying to out who?)

"Let me get this straight," Lo thought aloud. "You want me to tell Fin to tell Jen to tell Cody to tell Gwen to tell Trent to vote YOUR TEAM out?"

Lindsay scratched her head. "Well, it did make a whole lot of sense when I wrote it down!"

(But you can't out anyone unless you win the challenge...)

"Oh, no! There's **NO** way you're getting me to wear** THAT** thing!" Fin exclaimed.

"I don't see the problem," Reef said to her. "It actually accentuates what little figure you have."

(And that requires a little bit of 'dress for success'...)

Gwen was the last to emerge out onto the ice, and all the boys were astonished at how beautiful she looked in an all-silver dress with cream-colored Cinderella-style skates.

"Is that Gwen?" Cody did a double take.

"She's not wearing any black!" Heather exclaimed. "The world must be coming to an end!"

(And a little bit of faith...)

"You want me to do a triple?" Cody repeated. "I'm not even sure I can do a single!"

(To survive the next 'Fresh from Canada,' tomorrow night at 8 pm EST!)


	4. Episode Three

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Three  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Um, guys... you have **GOT** to see this!" Jonesy shouted from around the corner.

The 16 competitors that had survived the Qualification Challenge got to move into their digs for the first time. And, boy, were they fancy...

"No way!" Lo squealed. "I knew I should've brought more clothes!"

"You got the seaview?" Emma wondered as she trotted in. "Awesome! We're so taking this one!"

But it wasn't long before their attention turned back to the game, and Cody needed to pick teams... starting with his own...

"That is a good point," nodded Harold in agreement. "Who knows if Gwen and Trent will be able to work together without any problems."

"Cody, don't you have history with Gwen?" Tyler asked, which got a reaction out of both Cody and Trent.

"What?" Cody panicked as Trent gave him the eye. "No, not like that!"

"I know it's a little late, Cody, but getting Gwen on the rebound? What kind of guy are you?"

Gwen chuckled as she took the pad from Cody and glanced over his notes.

"Lindsay, I understand. But Heather? Those other guys must have not seen our show. Wait... you haven't picked anyone yet?"

Cody shook his head. "I haven't decided yet... all I know is I don't want Lindsay or Heather."

Gwen smiled as she took a seat on the ledge and beckoned Cody to plop down next to her.

"Why don't I help you out with that?"

And help she did... to maybe even her own surprise...

"So that's why I decided to pick... Jen."

"Me?" a perplexed Jen thought out loud while pointing to herself.

"Whoa..." Gwen commented. "Didn't see that coming."

After the teams come together, some easier than others...

"**WHAT?**" all the other guys, minus Harold, yelled aloud.

"I'm with Harold?" Lindsay shouted aloud. "I couldn't have asked for a better partner!"

It was time for the competitors to experience their first Winter Olympic discipline...

"Short Track Speed Skating?" Lindsay repeated.

The competition was fast and furious, especially with a finish that came down to the wire...

"Did I ever say how awesome you are?" Courtney squealed as she gave Jonesy a hug.

"I'm beginning to like this partnership more and more," Jonesy said with a smile.

Courtney and Jonesy had to pick two teams to send into the Elimination Challenge, of which the loser would be sent home. Courtney went after two old nemeses in Lindsay and Harold...

"It's over!" Allen called out. "The race is over! The Blue Team wins!"

"Hurray!" Lindsay shouted.

"Ha!" Harold pumped his fist, then pointed at Courtney. "Take that!"

But they responded by winning, sending Tyler and Emma packing...

"I suppose that's it for me," Tyler admitted.

"Things didn't turn out the way I wanted them to," Emma stated honestly.

What Olympic event awaits the remaining competitors? And who will be the next team sent home? Find out tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

After a long day that ended with Tyler and Emma being eliminated from the competition, the 14 remaining competitors had returned to their apartments in the Olympic Village, hoping to spend the rest of the night relaxing.

Or, in the case of Lo, standing on the roof deck while gazing out towards the nearby waterfront. She seemed to be lost deep in thought, but of what, only she really knew.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I was bummed that Emma got sent home!" admitted Lo. "Her being from Alberta and all, I hadn't seen her since the end of the summer! I missed having someone to easily talk to about boys, fashion, boys, personal beliefs that Daddy will never kick me out of the penthouse again... and boys. Did I mention boys?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"What'cha doin' up here all by yourself, Lo?"

Lo snapped out of her daze and turned around to see her friends Fin and Reef had come up to the roof looking for her.

"Nothing. Just doing some thinking..."

Fin got straight to the point. "It's about Emma, isn't it?"

"She's a big girl," Reef butted in. "She knows why she got sent home, and she accepts it."

"Oh, and I suppose if we get put in the Elimination Challenge tomorrow and lose, you'll accept it?" Fin inquired back.

"Of course not! Guys are allowed to kick and scream if they don't get their way."

"Right," Fin rolled her eyes before turning attention back to Lo. "But I don't think Lo is worried about how Emma felt. I think she's worried about how she feels."

"Feelings? So overrated..."

Reef started heading for the door, no longer interested in sticking around.

"Laterz! I'm fixing to get me some alone time with a certain girl with a rockin' bod!"

"Sure! I'll start the burn timer for... I dunno, four minutes?"

"Ha ha ha!" Reef mock laughed as he went inside and closed the door behind him.

Reef made his way back downstairs to the apartment, pushing back his hair and rubbing his hands together as prepared to have some one-on-one time with...

"Lindsay! Oh, you are just too good, Lindsay!"

Reef had his hand on the knob of the door leading into the apartment when he overheard a male voice on the other side.

"You won't believe how many people tell me that!" Lindsay exclaimed.

"Who the heck is she with, and what are they doing?" Reef thought out loud.

"At first, it's always because of my looks, but after awhile, they really begin to appreciate my abilities!"

"You never cease to amaze me, my partner!"

"Partner?" Reef gasped, coming to a realization. "Harold? Is he scoring on my girl?"

"I think we'd better clean up before your roommates get back..."

"Yeah! I'm pretty sure Fin doesn't want to find **THAT** on her bed."

"**WHAT?**" Reef shouted.

"What was that?" Lindsay asked, spooking Reef.

"I think it came from the stairway to the roof," Harold deduced.

Reef started to panic, and turned to run up the stairs... but stopped when he heard footsteps coming down. There was nowhere for him to go, when the door behind him opened and...

* * *

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha!" Fin laughed out loud, pounding the dining room table as she tried to contain herself.

"You actually thought... no way!" Lo shook her head, trying to keep a straight face.

"I maybe a ladies' man," Harold self-proclaimed, "but I'm no hound dog."

"So," Lindsay scratched her head in confusion as she turned to Fin, "you're not mad at me for spilling water on your bed sheets?"

Fin finally calmed herself down enough to ask Reef a serious question.

"How can you imagine something like **THAT** happening here? We're all teenagers!"

"They could've been making out, y'know," Reef replied. "Teens do it all the time."

"Harold and Lindsay? No offense, but... Harold and Lindsay? Making out?"

"That SO doesn't follow the dating code," Lo told him.

"Even I'm smart enough to know Lindsay's way out of my league," Harold admitted to Reef. "We're just good friends."

"Okay, fine, you're just friends!" Reef settled upon. "But, c'mon dude! You never thought of trying to score with her?"

Seconds later, both Reef and Harold found themselves being shoved out of the apartment and having the door slammed shut behind them.

"Wait, what did I do?" Harold wondered out loud, before turning on Reef. "This is all your fault! I can't even catch up with one of my friends without being assaulted! Gah!"

Harold stomped off towards his apartment.

"Are you serious?" Reef shouted after him. "You never thought that, ever? I seriously can't be the only guy that's had that thought cross my mind..."

* * *

The night passed without incident... at least indoors. Outside, rain started to fall overnight. And the showers continued into the morning, dampening the mood around the apartments.

Except for Courtney, who had gotten up at sunrise, so to speak, and had decided to go on a morning run. But with the rainy weather, she was limited to just running up and down the stairs of the five-story building.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"To be an Olympic athlete," Courtney stated, "it apparently takes a lot of conditioning over several months to get into the shape necessary to complete. Because we're going to do be doing so many different types of events, all with various training regimen, I'll have to work my butt off just to make sure I'm able to handle whatever challenge waits around the corner!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Courtney returned to 504 to find both Gwen and Jen awake and in the dining room, opening up a plastic bag that contained their breakfast.

"Well, look who decided to sleep in," noted Courtney as she wiped the sweat off of her head.

"Sleep in?" Gwen raised an eyebrow. "It's only seven thirty."

"Besides," Jen added, as she pulled out the shared iPhone they had received yesterday, "we just got a message stating we don't have to leave for today's challenge until eleven."

"It also said to expect something more graceful," Gwen said with a shudder. "I hate to imagine what that might be."

"Graceful, huh?" Courtney hummed. "I guess I'd better get washed up, then."

Courtney headed for her bedroom, but Jen raised a finger to try and stop her.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. We tried to wake up Heather for breakfast..."

"Jen tried..." Gwen added, pointing to the two feathers sticking out of her hair. "I went with her, and Heather threw a pillow at my head!"

"You just don't know how to talk to her," Courtney told Jen as she opened the door and went in.

Gwen started counting down. "Three, two, one..."

"**I'M SLEEPING HERE!**"

"**YOUR BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD, SO GET UP ALREADY!**"

"**WHAT ARE YOU NOW, MY MOM?**"

"**ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD?**"

Jen covered her ears, trying to drown out all of the yelling. She glanced over at Gwen and saw her plating her pre-made breakfast of eggs and Canadian bacon.

"Shouldn't we do something about them?"

Gwen yawned, then shrugged her shoulders.

"I really don't feel like breaking up fights until after breakfast. Besides, if we're lucky, they'll find their way to the balcony and fall off."

Jen gasped in shock as Gwen made her way to the microwave.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Wow," a still stunned Jen said aloud. "Did she really say that?"

"Eh," Gwen shrugged. "I just figured Jen needed a laugh. That's how I stomach sharing an apartment with Courtney and Heather."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Pacific Coliseum

Later that morning, the remaining 14 competitors were a little surprised they were returning to the same venue they were in the day before... and they made sure to let Allen know about it.

"So what's with all the indoor stuff?" Jonesy asked. "When do we get to hit the slopes?"

"And think about all the snow bunnies we're missing out on!" added Reef.

"I know the weather's not great," Fin piped in, "but I have to agree with Reef. What's up?"

"You'll all get a shot at some outdoor sports," Allen reassured them. "Okay, maybe not all of you... a couple of you might get sent home before that. But hey, maybe that'll inspire you to make sure you win the challenge we're starting today."

"So, what's the challenge?"

"Glad you asked, Heather. If you all take a seat in the front row, I have two friends who will demonstrate today's Olympic event!"

The 14 teens obliged Allen's request, and plopped down in the seats. Then, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight appeared on the ice rink. A male and a female skated onto the ice and took a frozen pose position right in the center.

Music then began playing over the arena's loudspeaker, and the two began performing an ice skating pairs routine. A very familiar one, if anyone happened to recognize it. The teenagers watched the performance with varying degrees of interest.

At the end of the routine, the two stars were greeted with a hearty round of applause from the competitors. Sensing the love, the two skaters made their way over, where Allen formally introduced them.

"They are three-time and defending national champions, won bronze at the 2008 Earth Championships with the very routine you just saw, and representing Canada in this very building next month in the Olympic Games... ice skating pair Jessie Dubois and Bruce David!"

"A pleasure to meet you all!" Jessica said to them.

"I hope you all enjoy this as much as we do," Bruce added.

"By now," Allen addressed the 14 teens, "you should've realized that the next Olympic event you'll be experiencing is Pairs' Ice Skating!"

"In the pairs' competition," explained Jessica, "a male and female must work together as they skate around the ice, performing elements normally seen in the individual competition, and do them in tandem."

"There are also certain elements that are exclusive to the pairs' competition... such as lifts," continued Bruce. "Today, you'll be learning how to execute these elements here on the ice, and put together programs of your own."

"You mean we have to do everything you guys just did?" Wyatt asked, a bit concerned.

"Not at as high a level as their performance," replied Allen, "but essentially, yes. About 30 hours from now, you will be performing your routines on this very rink. Your score for the routine will be determined by a panel of eight judges, which include Jessica and Bruce. You will be graded on the total elements and program components... and if you don't know what those entail, we'll explain it all shortly.

"The highest and lowest score is dropped, and the team that has the best combined score wins the challenge. As winners, each of the team members will receive a CineMate Series II Digital Home Theater System, courtesy of Bose. And, as like last time, the winning team will pick which two of the remaining teams to send into the Elimination Challenge... the loser of which will be sent packing."

"So..." Courtney asked, "what do we have to do to win, exactly?"

"Meet us down in the locker room and we'll tell you," Brian replied to the group as a whole.

* * *

In the locker room, the competitors were greeted by Allen, Jessica, Brian, and a white markerboard. Two columns of elements were listed, six under 'Required' and four under 'Optional.'

"Over the next hour or so, Jessica and Brian will demonstrate each of the elements here on solid ground, and also give you the opportunity to practice them here before taking them to the ice.

"As you can see, there are a number of required elements, or tricks, that you must have in your routine. You must perform all six of the elements in the 'Required' column. They are: Single loop jump, single lutz jump, single salchow jump, double toe loop jump, the sit spin, and a straight line lift. There are four other elements in the 'Optional' column. Each team must pick two of the four to include in their program. You can select from the throw jump, single axel jump, the rotational lift, and the death spiral.

"Your score will be based on eight and only eight completed elements. If you do seven, your score will take a hit. If you do nine, only the first eight you perform will count. The skaters must be in unison throughout the program in order to get the best score. Also, your routines must last between 2 minutes and 30 seconds and 2 minutes and 45 seconds. You will be penalized if your program does not fall into the range.

"Before you ask how to make sure you fulfill that requirement, I'll tell you ahead of time that each team will get a choreographer to help them construct a program to fit those constraints. But it is your responsibility once you're on the ice to meet that requirement.

"If everyone understands, we'll split you up. Ladies, you're with Jessie. Gentlemen, you'll be with Brian. Good luck, and have fun!"

* * *

With that, the competitors went to work learning how to perform the elements on solid ground before taking them to the ice.

The girls started by learning about toe loops...

"As with most jumps, you'll be skating backwards towards the edges of the rink," Jessie told them. "To do a toe loop, start by taking your outer leg and planting it toe-first into the ice. Your plant foot should push you up into the air, where you will need to rotate your body complete around one time. You'll then land back on the ice with your outer foot, the one you used to push off the ground, hitting first."

Jessie then demonstrated a single toe loop from a stationary position.

"So, let's go through it again, step by step. Everyone turn to your right, which is my left. Now, everyone take your outer leg and pull it back behind the inner one..."

While the guys were being taught about spins...

"I'm going to start by teaching you guys how to do the sit spin, which is required in all of your programs," explained Brian. "I'll show you first how to do actually do one, and then how to get in and out of one. A sit spin, first off, is a spin you do while you're mimicking a sitting position. Start by getting into the position. You'll want to simulate as if you're sitting in an actual chair... only there is no chair there. In all sit spins, it is important that your butt is always lower than the knee of your pivot foot. The pivot foot will be the one on the ground in which you'll be spinning from. Try to pivot off of your stronger leg. For some of you, it's your right; others, your left.

"Now, while keeping your pivot foot on the ice, you want to take your other leg and stick it straight out in front of you. To help your balance, extend both of your arms forward as if you're trying to reach the toes of the leg you're sticking out. Now, the last part is actually spinning. With your three limbs extended and your pivot foot still flat on the ice, use the ball of your foot to turn your body. You can do clockwise or counterclockwise. Again, direction does not matter, just do whatever you're more comfortable with. But once you start spinning one way, keep going that direction until you stop."

"How long do we have to spin for?" Trent asked.

"At least three seconds," answered Brian.

Jude scratched his head. "This sure is a lot to remember, dude."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"No wonder I find figure skating boring," Jonesy commented. "There's so much stuff you have to learn that it's like going to college!"

"We seriously have to learn in a day what it takes all the great figure skaters months, possibly years to perfect?" Jen asked, panicked. "It just can't be possible!"

"I don't think it's so bad," Harold said aloud. "Until we got to trying to do lifts."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Harold was seen trying to lift Lindsay up, but he could barely get her six inches off the ground before he lost his balance and fell backwards, taking Lindsay with him.

Fin, meanwhile, was having issues with how Reef was trying to lift her. Not with actually getting her off the ground, but...

"Your hands are too low!" Fin told him. "Up at my waist, up at my waist!"

"Fine!" Reef said, listening to his partner.

This time, Reef did lift Fin by the waist, and seemed to do it much easier than the previous attempts. Jessie came over to applaud their efforts.

"Very good! Now for the next step. Fin, I want you to lean back just a little bit. Reef, take your left hand and hold it up to the center of Fin's back."

"Okay," the two said in unison as they followed her instructions.

"Now, Fin... I want you to spread your legs and then lift them up into the air."

"Wait a minute... what?"

"Whoa, for real?"

"Stop making it sound so dirty," Fin said as her legs left the ground.

"I am not making it..."

Reef never finished his sentence, as he lost concentration of his steady left hand that was supposed to be keeping Fin held up. She hit the ground, back-first.

"Ow, that hurt!" Fin said as she kicked Reef's right ankle in retaliation.

"Hey!" Reef exclaimed.

"Are you **TRYING** to send me to the hospital again?"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Reef and I were practicing for a tandem surf contest this one time, when he, out of nowhere," Fin angrily recalled, "dropped me and dislocated my shoulder! I forgave him for that one, but if I go down with another injury, he's getting one ten times worse in return!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

After a late lunch break and a bit more 'solid' practice, the teams moved out to the ice to try out their moves for real. It was an understatement to say that doing that actually made things worse, as no one seemed to go more than five minutes without falling.

One of the people who was having the most trouble was, surprisingly, Heather, who was seen slipping as she attempted a salchow jump.

"This is impossible!" she screamed.

"Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself," Jude said as he came to a stop next to her.

"Like you'd know anything about that," Heather huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You just need to relax and let your body spin. You're tensing up too much that your body's not turning as one."

"I'm just not spinning fast enough, that's all," Heather said, coming to her own conclusion.

She then skated off to practice some more. Elsewhere on the ice, Gwen and Trent were preparing to attempt for the first time one of the tougher optional elements... the throw jump.

"So, instead of me jumping into the air," Gwen tried to get straight, "you're throwing me up into the air? And I still have to spin?"

"Right," Trent told her. "You're just doing a single, so you only have to spin once. And land on your left foot, okay?"

"I think... so..."

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

Gwen thought about it for a second. "Yes. I do trust you, Trent."

"Then, get ready, 'cause here we go..."

The two skated on the outer rim, and Gwen prepared herself as if she was doing a single toe loop by herself. But then, as she was about to push off, Trent wrapped his right arm across her waist and placed the other on her left arm. With one sweeping motion, Trent through Gwen forward and she spun around once in the air. Gwen landed on her outer foot, but wobbled a bit as she regained her balance. After steadying herself, she let out a cheer of excitement.

"Woohoo! I can't believe I didn't fall down!" Gwen said in disbelief.

"I told you that you could trust me," Trent said as he came up beside her.

The two skated past Heather, who wasn't happy at the sight of seeing them enjoying being together. Or maybe she was still frustrated over not being able to land a single jump.

* * *

Another couple of hours had passed, and the competitors finally ended practice on the ice. But their day was not over yet, as each pair was meeting with an ice skating choreographer and a fashion designer. They were given half an hour to figure out the exact details of their routine would be and provide some input into the outfits that were going to be made for them to wear for the competition.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"An outfit is as important as the actual skating routine," explained Lo. "Especially in the pairs' competition, where you want their outfits to be complementary to each other. I just don't know how to incorporate brown into it, though?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Cody and Jen were seen getting their measurements by the fashion designer as they discussed their routine with each other.

"You want me to do a triple?" Cody repeated. "I'm not even sure I can do a single!"

"Toe loops aren't that hard," Jen said to him. "You have to know how to do at least a double... that's one of our required moves! Look, all you need is a little more practice. I'll help you tonight!"

"Tonight? But..."

"No buts! You've just got to gain some confidence in yourself."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm worried Cody's going to be nervous tomorrow and he won't be able to perform," Jen said. "He has to realize that no one here's an expert and everyone's struggling with something. If he can just calm down and live up to his ability, I'm sure we'll be fine."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Later that night, Jen was true to her word, as back at the apartments, she was out in the hallway trying to help Cody get focused. But they weren't the only ones putting in extra practice, as Courtney and Jonesy were trying to put their routine together in her bedroom.

"So you lift your leg up like this," Courtney could be overheard from behind the closed door to the bedroom she shared with Heather.

"She'd better not hog the room all night," Heather growled as Gwen stood nearby, staring out the glass balcony door into the rainy night.

"You'd do well to practice, too," Gwen suggested. "You weren't exactly landing any jumps out on the ice."

"You'd be more worried about me and Jude totally wiping the floor with you!"

"I think that as long as you make a habit of landing on your butt, I don't have anything to worry about."

Gwen smiled smugly as she headed for the front door, as Heather scowled. Thought it seemed Heather took Gwen's advice to heart. A few minutes later, she was seen dragging Jude out of her apartment by his roommates, as they went to find a private place to practice.

Meanwhile, Harold was over in Lindsay's bedroom once again. Not deterred by the misunderstanding of the previous night, the two were by themselves again, this time actually plotting their next move.

"We've got to seriously consider how to get Courtney off the show," Harold said aloud. "We can't let her pick on us and get her way!"

"Well," Lindsay responded, "we could just win the challenge and put her up for elimination..."

"Okay, but given how much we're struggling, I don't think that's going to happen."

"Ooh, ooh! What about an alliance?"

"That might actually be a good idea, Lindsay. But with whom?"

"I have a few ideas..."

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Lo thought aloud. "You want me to tell Fin to tell Jen to tell Cody to tell Gwen to tell Trent to vote **YOUR TEAM** out?"

Lindsay scratched her head. "Well, it did make a whole lot of sense when I wrote it down!"

"You know, you're not giving me much confidence in this alliance that you and Harold are trying to put together."

"Look... do you like Courtney or not?"

"I don't know... she is kinda bossy..."

"Then just promise this... if you win the competition tomorrow, put her in the Elimination Challenge!"

"Alright... but I've got a bad feeling about this..."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"So the way I see it," Lindsay revealed, "once we get rid of Courtney, then we can turn our attention to Heather! Once those two are gone, Harold and I should have no problem getting to the finals!"

"The only reason I'm going along with this is because Fin is," Lo admitted. "But really, I trust her about as much as I think those melons of hers are real."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

The following morning, Jonesy looked out the window and started complaining, to the dismay of his roommates, who were just dragging themselves out of bed.

"It's raining again! It's winter, and it's raining! Somebody tell me what's wrong with this picture!"

"Did you really expect it to be snowing the whole time we were here?" Wyatt asked him.

"Yes! How would the snow bunnies come out to play if there were no snow?"

"Just like you won't see bikini babes unless there's a lot of sun at the beach!" Reef added.

"Exactly! I like this vibe we have going on."

"Sure 'nuff!"

The two shared a high five, causing Wyatt to shake his head in disbelief.

"I'll never understand you guys..."

* * *

Moving ahead to later in the day, the competitors were back at the Pacific Coliseum, and were in the process of routine run-thrus. It was at this point that the teams randomly drew for the order of performance. Some were worried, since the rumor was teams that went early could be given lower scores than the later teams, as they tend to leave room to be impressed.

If that was the case, the Red Team didn't seemed phased by the fact they drew the number '1' position.

"We could worry about it," Fin said, "but we're not going to."

"We'll nail this thing and then watch the other teams squirm," Reef chuckled. "This is in the bag."

* * *

Speaking of bags, Reef and Fin were the first back in the locker room area as the skating outfits had just arrived. By coincidence, Fin's outfit was among the first put up on the rack outside the locker room.

And given the look on her face, she wasn't happy with it.

"Ruffles? There's ruffles? What is this, the 1970s?"

"Oh, come on!" Reef blew it off. "You'd look cute in that little red number."

"Oh, no! There's **NO** way you're getting me to wear **THAT** thing!" Fin exclaimed.

"I don't see the problem," Reef said to her. "It actually accentuates what little figure you have."

"Then why don't you wear it? Because I'm not! That's not the dress I agreed on!

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Fin's making such a big deal for an outfit she's only going to be wearing for, what, half an hour?" uttered Reef. "She's making such a big deal out of such a little thing!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"I don't care if that means I'll have to go out there with what I'm wearing right now! I'm not putting that thing on!"

Fin lifted the hanger holding her dress off of the rack and then threw the whole thing down on the ground. She then stomped off into the locker room, leaving a stunned Reef in the hallway.

* * *

Reef had put Fin's dress back on the rack and was trying to make it look nice as Lo led a group of the other competitors over towards him.

"What's going on?" Lo asked. "I thought I heard screaming!"

"Fin didn't like her dress," Reef answered, "so she threw it down on the ground and stomped into the locker room, refusing to wear it."

"I don't get it... I think it would look great on her!"

"That's what I told her."

Lo nodded. "Give me five minutes."

As Lo went in to talk to Fin, the others seemed a bit perplexed, while at the same time they started searching out their outfits for the competition on the clothes rack.

The guys, save for Reef, went into their locker room to start changing, while the girls were waiting for Lo to resolve the Fin situation. A little more help came when one of the fashion designers appeared to explain to Fin the design choice.

Minutes later, the girls were allowed inside, as the designer had brought Fin out to discuss what to do with her dress.

"You have to understand, we pretty much made all of the dresses from scratch and worked all night," the designer told Fin. "We tried to incorporate what you wanted, but our resources are very limited."

"Just tell me... can you fix it?"

"We'll try, but I can't make any guarantees."

The designer then ran off with Fin's dress, leaving Fin and Reef behind in the hallway.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The designer took the dress at 4:15, warm-ups were at 6:40, and we were the first team to skate!" Fin stated factually. "Needless to say, I've kinda put our chances of winning this challenge in huge jeopardy. It's just... I just wanna look as great as all those professional female ice skaters, okay?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Two-and-a-half hours later, the skaters were already making their way out to the ice. There were a few stragglers as the minutes until the start of warm-ups would be upon them. Among them was Fin, who was waiting with Reef, Lo, and Wyatt - all three of them already dressed for the competition.

Finally, the fashion designer appeared with Fin's modified dress. Fin was glad to see the huge puffy ruffles gone and the dress tightened up to compensate their absence.

"That's incredible!" Lo looked at it with amazement.

"This is just what I wanted! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Fin reached over and gave the designer hug. Lo then ushered Fin into the locker room to get changed.

"Wyatt, I'll meet you out in the arena in five!" Lo told her partner.

* * *

With her outfit woes behind her, Fin emerged out into the arena in her redesigned red dress. As she now could finally turn her focus back to the competition, there was now only one skater unaccounted for.

"Hey... here she comes!" Trent said excitedly.

Gwen was the last to emerge out onto the ice, and all the boys were astonished at how beautiful she looked in an all-silver dress with cream-colored Cinderella-style skates.

"Is that Gwen?" Cody did a double take.

"She's not wearing any black!" Heather exclaimed. "The world must be coming to an end!"

"No, no... you wearing a flamenco dress? That's the world coming to an end!"

Heather and Gwen growled at each other, but Trent stepped in to break them up.

"Now hold on there... there's no need to be jealous! You both look great!"

"Thanks, Trent," Heather said to him. "Glad to hear an opinion from someone who matters."

Heather walked off to find her partner, as Gwen shot Trent an angry look.

"What? She does look great!"

Gwen shook her head as she walked away.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Boys..." Gwen sighed. "They're all the same..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Time for the competition to begin!" Allen said to the teams. "Today, red means go... so Red Team, you're up first!"

"No problem!" Reef said fearlessly. "We've got this."

Reef and Fin skated onto the ice while the others watched from the sidelines, though some took their first glance at the judges, which included Jessica and Brian. Once the couple was in place, the music started, and so did their routine.

"I give them 20 seconds before one of them falls," Heather commented.

"Shhh!" Lo shushed her. "I'm trying to watch this!"

After a couple of small spins and some planned intertwining of gazes and arms, Reef and Fin moved to set up their first element. Or rather, first two, as they led off with a double axel, followed by a double toe loop. Reef had to take an extra step on the landing to get his footing, but otherwise the pair performed the combination flawlessly.

That earned them a round of applause from their fellow competitors.

"They're pretty good, given the learning curve," Jen noted.

"I'll say," Cody added. "It's going to be tough following them."

The routine continued on, as Reef and Fin were about to embark on the element they struggled with the most in practice. The straight line lift. Everyone watched as, while skating in a straight line diagonally across the ice, Fin turned to face Reef, at which point he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up off the ground. She then leaned back and had her legs split either side of Reef's body.

If there was any discomfort or anxiety about the sequence, it didn't show on their face as they held the pose for the requisite three seconds before Reef placed her back on the ground.

"Wasn't she just crying about her atrocious outfit just hours ago?" Courtney reiterated. "How are they doing that well?"

"Why?" Heather asked her. "Scared you can't match them?"

At that comment, Courtney huffed, then stomped towards Jonesy and dragged him back towards the hallway.

"Hey!"

"We need to make a few changes..."

Reef and Fin finished up their routine with a tandem sit spin, which ended with them skating out of it and into a finishing pose that had Reef on one knee, looking up into Fin's eyes as he held her hand.

A rousing round of applause and cheers came from the other teams, who were mightily impressed by the Red Team's routine. The pair gave each other a high-five as they skated off the ice.

"That... was... beautiful!" Lo told them, trying to hold back tears.

"You're sure not making it easy on us," Cody said with a smile as he and Jen were preparing to step onto the ice.

"You know us," Reef responded. "Go big, or go home!"

After receiving accolades from their competition, the Red Team made their way to the 'Kiss and Cry' area, where they would get their scores. As they did, they saw the Gold Team waiting anxiously on the ice for that to happen so they could do their routine.

"I can't believe we actually pulled that off!" Fin exclaimed.

"I'd like to see anyone top that!" Reef added.

A minute later, they were informed of their scores.

(Reef and Fin - Score: 49.20)  
Total Elements: 22.20 Program Components: 27.00

"A great start by Reef and Fin. Let's see if Cody and Jen of the Gold Team can follow that up!" announced Allen.

All eyes turned towards the Gold Team as their routine began. But immediately it was obvious that they were not moving in sync with each other. They were following their routine to the letter, but Jen was going a little bit faster than Cody was.

And then came their first jump...

Cody and Jen went for a triple toe loop. But neither could pull it off, as Jen only jumped high enough to do a double, and she still stumbled on the landing. But that was nothing compared to Cody, who came down on his heel, slipping and landing back-first on the ice.

"Ooh... that didn't look good," Gwen winced.

Cody hastily got back up and caught back up to Jen... just in time for the second element, the single lutz jump. Jen succeeded in pulling it off with no problem, but Cody wasn't in the right position when he took off, and as a result... another hard landing on the ice.

"Stick a fork in 'em, they're done!" Reef yelled, before getting an elbow to the gut from Fin.

Cody's two falls started the gears churning in Jen's mind, but in trying to think of ways to make up points, she lost her form and concentration and started performing elements out of their planned sequence.

Needless to say, the judges weren't pleased afterwards...

(Cody and Jen - Score: 24.40)  
Total Elements: 10.90 Program Components: 13.50

Lindsay and Harold were next on the ice, and they got off to a real great start, executing their program to the letter. Their only real struggle was doing the straight line lift, which they couldn't pull off at all in practice.

So they did the opposite... instead of Harold lifting Lindsay, they attempted it the other way. That worked just as well, as Lindsay not only could barely get Harold off the ice... but they lost track of their place in relation to the wall.

The routine promptly ended with both team members dazed and confused, looking up at the ceiling.

(Harold and Lindsay - Score: 31.20)  
Total Elements: 15.00 Program Components: 16.20

Jonesy and Courtney, were the fourth pair up, and they were hoping some last-minute tweaking would put them on par with the Red Team's performance. Unfortunately, bad things happen when you try difficult elements like double axels and reverse rotational lifts for the first time ever... in competition.

"You dropped me three times!" Courtney exclaimed as she stomped off the ice. "What's wrong with you?"

"Please tell me that's not blood coming out of my leg," Jonesy muttered in fright as the on-site medic tended to a spot on his left leg where Courtney's skate had nicked him during one of his drops.

(Jonesy and Courtney - Score: 26.30)  
Total Elements: 13.50 Program Components: 12.80

It wasn't until the Brown Team took to the ice that Reef and Fin had reason to worry. And that became very obvious when Wyatt and Lo were the first pair to execute a flawless program. They landed every jump without a single stumble or fall, and the two were in tandem the whole routine.

The two hugged after it was all over, as they received a round of applause from the competitors as they skated off the ice.

"That was amazing! I... I can't believe we did it!" Wyatt shouted.

"That'll put us in first place for sure!" Lo reassured him.

But their happiness wouldn't last long...

(Wyatt and Lo - Score: 49.00)  
Total Elements: 20.50 Program Components: 28.50

"Ooh!" Allen announced. "Despite a flawless program, doing nothing but the basic required elements was not enough. Wyatt and Lo are two-tenths of a point behind Reef and Fin, with two pairs left to go!"

"That's not fair!" Wyatt cried out.

"Do you know how hard we worked to perfect that routine?" Lo shouted. "What kind of judges are working this racket anyway?"

Back to the ice as Wyatt and Lo continued to grumble, Jude and Heather began their program. Similar to the pair before them, the duo stuck to the basics, just doing enough to meet all the required elements.

That was until they pulled out their secret weapon.

About two-thirds of the way through their program, Jude took Heather by the waist. With his assistance, she leaped into the air and performed a double salchow almost flawlessly. Almost, because she needed an extra step on the landing to keep her balance, but she practically made up for it by doing a double toe loop on the spot!

Their fellow competitors were in deep debate afterwards on how the judges would score the Orange Team came off the ice. Heather, naturally, took it upon herself to declare instant victory in the face of her greatest rival.

"Might as well not step on the ice," Heather told Gwen. "That was a gold medal performance!"

"I don't think so!" Gwen shot back. "The judges won't look too kindly on that extra toe loop you added on there, without your partner."

"Wait," Jude interceded, "I was supposed to do one too?"

"You're just jealous because you didn't think of putting that little number in your routine," Heather smirked.

(Jude and Heather - Score: 50.40)  
Total Elements: 22.00 Program Components: 28.40

"No way!" Reef shouted. "We did a whole lot more difficult stuff than they did!"

"They just know talent when they see it," Heather said as she made her way past Reef and Fin.

"But you couldn't land a single jump in practice!" Fin exclaimed. "How did you..."

"I owe it all to Jude. For once, I actually listened to my partner and learned how to do a proper landing."

Jude nodded as he walked up next to his partner. "It's all about feeling the rhythm and believing in yourself. Heather really knows what she's doing when she puts her mind to it."

"With that being said, if you'll excuse us... we're going to try and figure out which one of you losers to put into the Elimination Challenge!"

As Heather and Jude trotted off to begin their victory celebration in earnest, the Silver Team, Gwen and Trent, took the ice, the only ones standing between the Orange Team and victory.

The music started, and the Silver Team began the skate of a lifetime. Deciding to follow in the Red Team's footsteps, the duo opened up with a double axel and double toe loop tandem combination. But unlike their predecessors, they executed the entire sequence without any hitches.

Everyone watched as the pair breezed through the rest of their routine. That was, until it was time for their final trick... the death spiral.

Trent took a pivot position near the center of the ice, and spun Gwen around him, her body nearly parallel to the surface as she looked up at him, entrusting that he wouldn't let her go.

After a few revolutions, Trent pulled Gwen up out of the spiral and the two finished the routine off by striking a finish pose that had them, hands intertwined, gazing deep into each other s eyes.

The result of the performance? A round of applause from the competitors. Even Heather.

"I have to admit, that wasn't half bad..."

Trent and Gwen skated off the ice and headed for the 'Kiss and Cry' area, where they awaited the results with Jude and Heather, the current leaders.

"Good luck, dudes!" Jude well-wished the final pair.

"Hey, thanks!" Trent replied.

"Good luck, Gwen," Heather said to Gwen, though it was hard to tell if she was being truthful.

"I don't need luck. We aced that... you just watch!"

The foursome took a seat on opposite sides of the area, with the other competitors standing just outside on either side, watching and waiting for the results to be announced.

"And now, the scores for the Silver Team!" Allen said over the loudspeaker.

Everyone's eyes and ears came to attention, as they waited with anxiety and baited breath for the results.

* * *

Gwen and Trent had just completed what looked to be a pairs routine worthy of a gold medal. But they were very nervous, as were Jude and Heather, who currently were in gold medal position, as the Silver Team's score was finally announced.

(Trent and Gwen - Score: 50.50)  
Total Elements: 22.80 Program Components: 27.70

"By one-tenth of a point, the winners are the Silver Team!"

Gwen jumped up and down in excitement, and pointed a finger at Heather.

"Ha! In your face!" Gwen taunted.

Heather just scowled and crossed her arms over her chest as Gwen turned to her partner and gave him a hug... to which Trent happily smiled at.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I can't believe we pulled that off!" Gwen said excitedly. "And so perfectly! Trent and I definitely deserved that victory!"

"Finally!" Trent sighed in relief. "Gwen and I put aside the past and were able to win! Maybe this is the start of a beautiful partnership."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

A few minutes later, Allen presented Trent and Gwen with imitation gold medals to officially crown the pair the winners of the competition.

"Congratulations to today's winners, the Silver Team!" Allen told them. "As promised, each of you will receive a CineMate Series II Digital Home Theater System, courtesy of Bose. But more importantly, you now get to pick two teams to throw into the Elimination Challenge, with the understanding that the losing team of the challenge will be sent home."

The other six teams waited for Trent and Gwen to quickly discuss who to put into the challenge, but the pair didn't even need the full 30 seconds to make their decision.

"We're ready to make our decision," Gwen announced.

"It's more strategy than anything, but Gwen and I have decided to put Jonesy and Courtney in against Jude and Heather."

"What?" Jonesy, Courtney, and Heather all shouted in dismay.

"This is so unfair!" Courtney exclaimed. "How could you do that?"

"I don't like it anymore than you do," Heather said to Courtney, "but you should be more worried about me sending you home than Gwen wanting to kick you out."

"As if! I can skate circles around you, Heather!"

"Oh, we'll just see about that. Besides, I'm pretty sure everyone would rather see you go home first."

Heather looked back at the others to confirm her taunt, but no one else seemed to want to back her up. Except for...

"C'mon, Courtney, kick her butt!" Lindsay shouted, to the surprise of everyone.

"What? Lindsay, you hate her more than you hate me, right?"

"Frankfurtly, Heather, I don't care which one of you goes home first. As long as one of you does, I'm happy."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

Heather crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at the camera lens.

"I hate Lindsay, I hate Courtney, and I especially hate Gwen! And I'll do whatever I have to do to get them all eliminated! But, since I already have Courtney in position..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Alright... White Team and Orange Team, step forward," commanded Allen.

The two teams took their reluctant place next to Allen to hear what the elimination challenge would be.

"Tonight's challenge is called 'Sudden Death Skill Showcase.' One at a time, the two chosen teams will step onto the ice. Once they hit the rink, they will have 45 seconds to plan out and execute a preselected pairs figure skating technique. They'll only get one shot per round, and the eight judges will simply vote whether each team passes or fails that round. You must get a majority of pass votes to pass the round.

"If both teams pass or fail in the same round, the challenge continues into a new round with a new technique. But if only one team fails a round, the challenge is over, and the failing team says farewell to Vancouver.

"Oh, and remember... this is still a pairs' competition, so not only do both members of the team have to execute the move, but they must do it in tandem. Does everyone understand?"

Jude, Heather, Jonesy, and Courtney nodded.

"I'll give you a few minutes to mentally and physically prepare, and then the challenge is on!"

Jonesy immediately made his way back over to the medics to not only check his wounds, but to make sure he would be cleared to get back on the ice.

"Right now, the medics are making sure it's safe for Jonesy to compete," Jen commented as she watched from afar as the medics started to undo his bandages. "If they don't clear him, him and Courtney will go home without having an opportunity to fight to stay in."

"I swear, it'll be on your head if we can't compete," Courtney growled at Jonesy, who was looking away from the now-revealed cut on his leg.

* * *

A few minutes later, both teams were standing at the entrance to ice with Allen, while the other 10 competitors sat up in the stands to watch the challenge unfold.

"Before we begin," Allen said, turning his attention to Jonesy. "What's the situation with your leg?"

"During our routine," Jonesy told Allen, "Courtney's skate nicked my leg, and it opened up a little cut. But the docs checked me out and they said I'm clear to compete."

"Very well... Jonesy and Courtney, you won the coin toss off-stage, so you get to decide... do you guys wanna go first or second?"

"That's easy," answered Courtney. "Second."

Allen nodded, then turned to Heather and Jude.

"We're starting off simple... the first skill is a single toe loop. So, Jude and Heather, your 45 seconds start... now!"

Jude and Heather stepped on the ice, discussing how to execute the move as they slowly skated towards center ice. After a few seconds, they lined up, with Heather to the inside of Jude, and they started setting up to perform the jump in the far corner of the rink.

Everyone watched as they got into position, and then... liftoff! Both Jude and Heather did one complete 360-degree turn to the left in midair, and landed nearly perfect, with Jude stumbling ever so slightly on landing. But both managed to stay on their feet, and they were happy with it.

They turned to the judges who were holding up a sign, with either a green check mark (pass) or red X (fail) on it. Within seconds, they had their verdict... six passes to two fails.

"Not perfect, but passable," Allen commented, as the other teams gave the Orange Team a healthy dose of applause.

Once Jude and Heather were off the ice, it was Jonesy and Courtney's turn.

"Jonesy and Courtney, your 45 seconds starts... now!"

Having had time to plan out their routine on the sidelines, the duo immediately started to head for the same corner that the Orange Team had done their jump. Once they were in position, it was time for the jump...

Both Jonesy and Courtney took off, but Courtney for some reason was a split second behind on take-off. Realizing it in mid-air, she tried to compensate for it by spinning just a bit faster than her partner. But in doing so, she over-rotated, so as she came down for a landing, her right foot was at an angle to the ground.

As a result, Courtney couldn't stick the landing and she went down to the ice, landing hard on left elbow. Luckily, she was on the outside of Jonesy, so she didn't take her partner down with her as he skated cleanly away. But hearing a few cheers of delight from the crowd was all both of them needed to spell their fate.

Off to the sidelines, Heather and Jude were celebrating having survived the challenge. So much so that it didn't matter that the judges revealed giving the White Team X's across the board.

"I can't believe it!" Jonesy said as he skated back to his partner. "You fell! You're the reason we're going home!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Courtney shot back as she got back to her feet, rubbing her bruised elbow. "But this shouldn't be happening... I never lose! Never!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Whenever I lose, it's because someone unfairly beat me!" Courtney exclaimed. "This is... this is the first time that it's my own fault that I'm going home! No, this can't be happening! It can't!"

"Man, I knew teaming up with Courtney was a bad idea!" realized Jonesy. "Then again, now that we're now caught up in competing anymore, maybe she'll want to go out with me."

"In your dreams!"

"Hey! Who said it was fair to respond to each other's private thoughts?"

"When you decided to sign up for a reality show! Deal with it!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

The Orange and White Teams stood with Allen in front of the seats where the other teams had watched the Elimination Challenge unfold.

"Orange Team, you guys did what you had to, and you are the winners of the Elimination Challenge. Congratulations!"

The competitors gave Jude and Heather a round of applause. Well, Jude anyway.

"Unfortunately, for the White Team, your shot at winning the grand prize is gone. Jonesy, Courtney... it's time to say goodbye."

Courtney huffed as she stormed off the ice. Jonesy waved farewell to Jude and Jen before following his partner out.

"See you guys on the other side!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Man, this tanks!" Jonesy exclaimed. "I didn't even get to score with a hot chick! At least I lasted longer than Nikki. I get to rub that in her face. Oh yeah!"

The confessional camera was setup for Courtney to state her final remarks, but she was too busy making a call on her PDA to be bothered by it.

"Excuse me, but this is a private call!" she said as raised her hand to cover the camera lens.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Jonesy and Courtney are gone, and only 12 of you remain," Allen stated matter-of-factly to the remaining competitors. "Some of you seem very happy to see them gone. But don't get too complacent... there could be another Elimination Challenge tomorrow, and another team will be on the next plane out of Vancouver.

"Until then... good night."

The six remaining teams headed for the locker rooms to change back into their regular clothes before returning back to their apartments.

To be continued...

* * *

(On the next episode of 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"Admit it," Lo said with a smile. "I make having all of these clothes on look good!"

(The teams depart Vancouver and head an hour north to the snowy mountains of Whistler...)

"C'mon, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" Reef wished as he stared out the window and into the pouring rainstorm.

"Whomever picked this place for a Winter Olympics wasn't very smart," Heather snidely commented.

(But when the weather does cooperate, it's time to hit the slopes...)

Jude picked up the rifle and looked into the barrel.

"This is so cool! You think someone could get me one for Christmas?"

"No!" Jen shouted, taking the rifle away. "You'll shoot your eye out!"

Lindsay wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she skied right into the marker indicating the halfway mark.

(And we promise, you'll not only be in disbelief over who comes in first...)

"No way!" Trent exclaimed.

(But who ends up being the next team going home...)

"Even I wouldn't have predicted that ending," a stunned Harold admitted.

(On the next 'Fresh from Canada,' continuing soon!)


	5. Episode Four

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Four  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Well, look who decided to sleep in," noted Courtney as she wiped the sweat off of her head.

Determined to win, Courtney upped her training in preparation as she and the other 13 remaining competitors were given their next Olympic event challenge.

"By now," Allen addressed the 14 teens, "you should've realized that the next Olympic event you'll be experiencing is Pairs' Ice Skating!"

Figure skating turned out to be a much tougher challenge than ice skating was...

"This is impossible!" Heather screamed.

"Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself," Jude said as he came to a stop next to her.

Especially when it came to outfits...

"Oh, come on!" Reef blew it off. "You'd look cute in that little red number."

"Oh, no! There's **NO** way you're getting me to wear **THAT** thing!" Fin exclaimed.

But when it was time to hit the ice for real, teams stepped up to the task to impress the judges...

"By one-tenth of a point, the winners are the Silver Team!"

"Ha! In your face!" Gwen taunted.

"We're ready to make our decision," Gwen announced.

"It's more strategy than anything, but Gwen and I have decided to put Jonesy and Courtney in against Jude and Heather."

Trent and Gwen won, picking two teams to go into an Elimination Challenge that was over almost as soon as it had begun.

Off to the sidelines, Heather and Jude were celebrating having survived the challenge. So much so that it didn't matter that the judges revealed giving the White Team X's across the board.

"I can't believe it!" Jonesy said as he skated back to his partner. "You fell! You're the reason we're going home!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Courtney shot back as she got back to her feet, rubbing her bruised elbow. "But this shouldn't be happening... I never lose! Never!"

Believe it... Jonesy and Courtney were sent home. Who will be next? And what Olympic event will the remaining six teams compete in this time? Find out tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

Following the ice skating pairs' competition that ended with the White Team being sent home, the 12 remaining competitors were just returning to the Olympic Village. While most were overjoyed with Courtney being booted from the game, this time without any controversy, at least one person was in her mind debating whether or not it was the right choice.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"It was hard seeing Jonesy go home," Jen admitted. "In fact, I'm even regretting more and more that I wanted him to be Courtney's teammate. If I had stuck him with someone other than her, he might still be here. As for Courtney, I'm just glad she's out of here. Not just because of how stressful it was having her around, but she was also my biggest physical threat. I don't think any of the other girls stand a chance against me."

"I think my partner will come to realize that although no one really wanted to see Jonesy gone," stated Cody, "he had to in order to get Courtney out of here. Besides, now Jen and I should be take our rightful place as the team to beat."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

A little later that night, Harold, Lindsay, Wyatt, and Lo had snuck away from the others and found a quite place downstairs to discuss some alliance strategy.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"So yesterday, Lo and I formed a partnership with the Blue Team to try and get Courtney eliminated. It worked, so we decided that it would be in our best interests to stay close to them."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Should we really be thinking about all of this so far ahead of time?" queried Lo. "It's not like anyone seriously thinks of us as a threat."

"I'm not too keen on this either," Wyatt said to his teammate, "but the only way to ensure we remain in the competition is to take out the teams we don't stand a chance against."

"Naturally," Harold added. "Survival of the smartest, I say."

"Okay," Lindsay interjected, taking over the meeting, "we totally, surely, have to make sure Heather's next to go. If we don't win the challenge and you do, you two have to put her in it!"

"There's something about her I've never liked," Lo thought out loud. "Okay, I'm in. Wyatt, you agree?"

"Definitely."

The four them sealed their agreement with high-fives all around. But they were unaware that Heather was spying on them from around the corner. She had heard everything, and ran off to figure out her next plan of action.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"They think they're so smart," Heather smirked. "But I shouldn't be too worried. Whatever the next challenge is, Jude and I will just leave them in the dust. And then we'll throw them both into the challenge. That ought to take of their little alliance... and I don't even have to resort to dirty tactics to do it."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

The next morning, Trent was awakened by the ringing of the iPhone on the dresser. He picked it up and saw that there was a new text message waiting to be read.

"Arrival time 10:30 for indoor training for next Olympic event at the Community Center," he read aloud. "Dress warmly."

With that, Trent woke up his roommate, Cody, and then went to do the same for everyone else.

* * *

Millennium Water Community Center

The six teams, all a little wet, made their way into the gymnasium, where Allen was waiting for them, along with four other 20-somethings: two guys and two gals.

"Good morning," Allen greeted the competitors.

"Morning," they all said in return.

"As you probably guessed on your walk over here, the weather outside is rather, well, dreadful."

"That's putting it mildly," Gwen croaked.

"Whoever picked this place for a Winter Olympics wasn't very smart," Heather snidely commented.

"So, to begin training for your first outdoor event, we'll have to do it indoors instead. To my left, I have Sally and Sulley, while to my right, Katrina and Jean-Luc. These four are here to teach you how to ski. So, how many of you have actually skied before today?"

Everyone looked around, and only three people raised their hands: Jen, Jude, and Lo.

"Lauren," Allen turned to her, "if you don't mind me asking... any good?"

"Well, I did get manage to get down the bunny hill without falling," she admitted.

"So, not really, huh? No matter... that's what your instructors are here for. Take heed of what they tell you, because tomorrow, weather permitting, you'll all be hitting the slopes for real."

With that, Allen left the teens to their task. They were split into two groups, after which they were given a crash course in skiing for beginners.

The Red, Blue, and Brown teams were being taught by Sally and Sulley, who decided to start by informing them of what was needed to become a great skier. Meanwhile, the Gold, Silver, and Orange teams were being instructed by Katrina and Jean-Luc, who decided to go with a practical approach by giving them all skis so they could learn how to move them.

But it wasn't long before the other group also got their skis, and soon after, armed with flat-ended poles so they could practice moving around in the gymnasium. Of course, given the hard floor, most found it hard to actually ski and were instead walking around the gym in them.

"This is a lot more work than I thought it would be," Cody commented.

"Just keep at it," Jen told him as she trotted past him. "It'll get easier once you hit the slopes."

Harold then came up next to the two of them.

"You know, that reminds me of the one time, I went to ski camp..."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the gym...

"This isn't so bad," Fin said as she had worked up a decent walking pace.

"Maybe so, but this is so boring..." sighed Reef.

The two had caught up to Lo and Wyatt, who were gingerly moving along as they chatted.

"I just noticed that these skis make my feet look big," observed Lo. "Do you think I could trade these for some bigger ones?"

"I don't think it works that way," Wyatt said in return.

"All I know is that we better be outside tomorrow," Reef complained, "or I am going to completely lose it!"

* * *

Soon after, the competitors were allowed to head back to the apartments to get some rest and relaxation, all the while it continued long into the night.

But when morning came, the sun and clear skies came with it. Peering inside the apartments at around nine o'clock, most of the competitors were already up and about, preparing to head out for the challenge.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"So we got the message this morning to get ready to ski," Cody said aloud. "We're going to Whistler Olympic Park, and hopefully the slopes there won't be all mushy."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Woo hoo!" Reef rejoiced as he hopped into one of the two transport vans. "Ski bunnies, here I come!"

Fin rolled her eyes as she followed her teammate in. Lo was ecstatic as well, but for an entirely different reason.

"I can't wait! Finally, I'll get to show you guys what I can do!"

"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you," hinted Heather, who took the seat next to Lo.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Just want to make sure a certain little rich girl doesn't think everyone's going to just let her win the whole competition without a fight."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"It's true," admitted Lo, "I haven't asked a favor from anyone yet. At least... I don't think I have..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Just take notice," Heather warned. "Don't expect me to give you one bit of help like your friends will."

"You'd better take notice," Fin leaned in from the back seat. "You mess with her, then you'll have to deal with me too!"

"Fair enough... but you're not the friends of hers I'm worried about..."

Lo thought for a second before she gasped in realization.

"The alliance!"

"Alliance?" Fin repeated, shocked by this.

"Since when did you form an alliance?" Reef added.

Lo chuckled nervously. "Alliance? I didn't say alliance. I said... uh... Allence. Yeah, it's my new nickname for Allen."

"Really?"

"Really, Fin!"

"Well, okay," Fin calmed down, apparently believing Lo.

Fin leaned back in her seat and starting chatting with Reef, while Lo turned her attention to Heather.

"I can't believe you did that!" Lo growled, but speaking low enough so that only Heather could hear her.

"Trust me," responded Heather. "You have no idea of the things I'll do to ensure my chances of winning are better than anyone else's. Though, there is one thing I'll do to keep anyone else from finding about your little secret alliance..."

"Like... what?" Lo paused, suddenly dreading having posed the question and any possible consequences.

"I want you to form an alliance with me!"

"You?"

"Yes, me! Do it, or else!"

"What's up, dude and dudettes?" queried a familiar voice.

Heather and Lo turned their attention to the van door, where Jude and Wyatt had finally showed up.

"I've got great news!" Heather exclaimed. "Lauren and I were just talking about you, Jude!"

"Really? About what?"

"Something about the two of us, and you, and..."

Hinting where Heather was going, Lo took the bait and interjected on her own behalf.

"Thinking about giving you a makeover! You know, to help you pick up a few girls on the slopes?"

Jude and Wyatt looked at each other, a bit confused, and they quickly glanced at Reef and Fin, who both shared similar looks.

"Um... okay..."

"Great!" Heather smiled.

Jude took the seat next to Heather, while Wyatt sat behind him. Heather turned to Lo with a smirk and asked her...

"So... we have a deal?"

Lo nodded.

"Good. We'll talk more when we get there."

With that, the vans started up and departed for Whistler.

* * *

A little more than an hour later, the vans arrived at the Olympic Park in Whistler. The teens, dressed to ski, made their way through the mixture of soft and hard snow and into a 'stadium' area. Upon entering, they saw five individuals skiing towards the center, where the competitors were walking towards.

The 12 teens came to a stop as the skiers made their way in. As the skiers came to a stop, they reached for an object hanging from their backs. The objects turned out to be small bore rifles.

"Are those guns?" Harold had to ask, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

"Oh man, what did we just get ourselves into?" Gwen asked frightfully.

The five skiers cocked their rifles, and then...

BANG! BANG BANG BANG!

* * *

Whistler Olympic Park

The 12 teens had just arrived to learn what their third Olympic event challenge would be. But suddenly, they were fearing for their lives as five skiers had made their way towards them, armed with rifles, and had just cocked them. The teens were frozen in place, none of them able to move as they were about to be fired upon.

Then, all of a sudden, the five skiers simultaneously did an about face, and then they fired shots off.

BANG! BANG BANG BANG!

The few teens who had managed to keep their eyes open saw that the skiers had fired upon a set of targets 50 meters away, noting that three of the targets were now black instead of white, indicating that they had been hit.

One of the skiers took off his cap and goggles, revealing himself to be Allen.

"Good morning, everyone!" he greeted.

Hearing Allen's friendly voice snapped everyone back to their senses, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry for the scare, but we wanted to make sure you guys were wide awake today."

The other skiers took their caps and goggles, and it turned out they were the four instructors from yesterday: Sally, Sulley, Katrina, and Jean-Luc.

"Dude, that was wicked!" Jude smiled, getting the hoax.

"I can't believe you did that!" Jen scolded the host.

"Well, I can," Harold sighed, before getting everyone to notice that his fear caused him to pee his pants.

Reef snickered. "What are you, like, five?"

"I thought we got away from these stupid scare tactics when we learned Chris wasn't hosting this show," remarked Heather.

"I'll make sure to tell him you said that the next time I see him," Allen replied with a wink. "Now, down to business. Today's Olympic event is the Biathlon! For those not in the know, that involves competing in two disciplines: cross-country skiing, and rifle shooting.

"For the competition tomorrow, each team will ski a total of ten kilometers. That's four laps around a 2.5 kilometer loop, with each team member responsible for two laps. Near the end of each lap, you'll be responsible for coming to the area behind him and shooting at a set of five targets. You'll get five shots to hit those five targets, and each time you miss, you'll have to complete a 150 meter penalty lap. Since each person must complete two laps, you must shoot in a different position each time. The first time, you'll fire from a standing position, the second from a lying down, or prone, position.

"All teams will start at the same time, and teammates must alternate laps. The first team to complete all four laps and cross the finish line, naturally, wins and chooses which two teams to put into the Elimination Challenge.

"As added incentive, the winners also will get a $500 gift certificate for Albatross and Finch!"

"They rarely give out gift certificates, and nowhere near that amount," Jen squealed. "I have to win this! Cody, we have to!"

"Alright, alright!" Cody waved at her teammate, calming her down.

"But isn't that place just for hot, stuck-up posers?" Fin asked.

"Be nice, Fin," Lo said to her friend. "Just because you've never been in one..."

"I have, and, no offense... they're total posers."

"Anyway," Allen cut in, trying to steer the conversation back to the competition, "the first thing you'll be learning is how to use the rifle you'll be carrying."

Allen then threw his rifle at Jude, who reached out to catch it but the throw was a little short. Jude shrugged his shoulders, then picked up the rifle and looked into the barrel.

"This is so cool! You think someone could get me one for Christmas?"

"No!" Jen shouted, taking the rifle away. "You'll shoot your eye out!"

"Ahem!" Allen coughed. "I guess we should instead start with gun safety! Rule number one... never, ever, look down the barrel of a gun!"

"Let me show you how to use that!" Heather exclaimed, snatching the rifle from Jen and pointing it at... Gwen!

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, before looking at Allen. "Isn't there a rule about threatening another person with a deadly weapon?"

"No... but there should be."

Allen trotted over to Heather and motioned for her to give him the rifle. Even though she rolled her eyes at the request, she did indeed give it up without a fight.

"Rule number two! No pointing rifles at other people! This is the only warning you get! Next person to do so risks not only getting immediately booted off the show, but having to deal with the RCMP! We had to jump through dozens of hoops to ensure we'd even be able to let you guys do this! So don't screw it up!"

Everyone gave a compliance nod to ensure they understood.

"Very well. Now, onto actually learning how to use the rifle..."

* * *

Splitting the competitors by gender, the four ski instructors went to work. The girls were learning about firing from a standing position, while the guys started being educated about shooting from the prone position.

Minutes later, the competitors were starting to fire the rifles on their own. But learning to fire was one thing.

"Darn it!" Gwen nearly cursed after she missed low.

Being able to hit the targets was another...

"I don't know if I'll be able to do this," Wyatt said to Jean-Luc after missing on all five of his shots.

"I do admit it's a bit difficult," admitted the instructor, "but with enough practice, it'll start coming to you."

But it took nearly 20 minutes before one of the competitors actually scored a direct hit.

"I do believe that's one point for me!" Harold announced from down on the ground.

"At least one of us gets this," Reef shook his head as he got up after his second go-around also resorted in 0-for-5.

On the other side of the range, though, two girls got on the board almost simultaneously.

"Oh my gosh," gasped Jen, "I... actually got one!"

"Hurray!" Lindsay shouted, raising her arms with glee. "I did it!"

"Good going!" applauded Sally.

After about an hour, the guys moved to shooting while standing, and the girls got down stomach-first to fire while prone. While by the end of the first session, almost everyone had scored at least one hit, the guys found themselves lighting up targets almost instantly.

"Three out of five!" Trent announced. "Man, this is much easier!"

"Three for me, too," commented Cody. "Who knew I was such a marksman?"

But the girls found themselves really struggling.

"Is it me, or are the targets smaller?" Fin asked. "I'm using the same technique as before, but I can't hit them!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"It turns out that you can keep a steadier hand while standing," Harold had observed. "But whomever masters both positions will be the team to beat. Though I have to admit, given that I'm the most consistent so far, I have to like my chances."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

After a couple of hours on the firing range, Allen came to give the competitors a little break.

"How are you guys?" he asked. "Anyone hit all five in one round yet?"

"Nope," Cody replied, "but a few of us have hit fours. Harold's got three, actually... only person with more than one four."

"Great! If the Olympic event was nothing than rifle shooting, I'd say Harold's set. But that's only a small part of the biathlon... a huge majority of it is cross-country skiing. Speaking of which, before you guys learn about the course for the first time, how about a break?"

* * *

After breaking for lunch, the teams met Allen at the lounge, where for the first time he revealed the course to them by handing out maps.

"This is the map of the 2.5 kilometer loop, which many of the skiing events here at Whistler Olympic Park will be utilizing. As you can see, there are some hills involved, as well as a few tricks and turns. We're going to do a ski-through of the course, so you can actually take a look at and feel the course as it will be set up tomorrow.

"But first off... does everyone remember the ski lessons from yesterday? Let's see how much you've learned."

* * *

After renting out skis and making their way back to the cross-country skiing course, the teams found the instructors waiting for them. Once they were all set, they headed out. Two of the instructors led the way at a leisurely pace as the other two stayed at the back to help out those who found themselves struggling to get acclimated to the terrain.

Which seemed to be everyone, as the first part of the course involved going uphill.

"This is not how I envision spending my afternoon, struggling to get up a hill," complained Gwen.

"But just imagine how much easier this'll be once we get a few practice runs in," Trent told her.

"Tell me why I'm doing this again?" Wyatt asked Harold. "I'm no athlete!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I know, I know," Wyatt apologized, "I'm complaining now after having been up here almost a week. But, hey, it's not every day you get a chance to attend the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics as a VIP! If you win, that is."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Towards the back of the pack, Heather laid low as she watched Lindsay and Lo shared a friendly conversation about siblings.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I wanted to tell Lindsay about Heather forcing me into an alliance with her," commented Lo, "but with her watching me like a hawk, threatening to expose the alliance Wyatt and I have with Lindsay and Harold, I can't say anything! Otherwise, everyone will try to get us eliminated! I never knew reality shows could be so full of manipulation!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

After the ski-through, the competitors spent the next few hours alternating between skiing and target practice. This resulted in teammates getting split up as they focused on different disciplines based on what they were struggling on more.

But there were a few exceptions, such as Reef and Fin, whom we pick up skiing side-by-side on the cross-country course.

"You know, you've gotta start taking this competition more seriously," Fin said to her partner.

"What makes you think I haven't?" Reef retorted. "Didn't I do well in the figure skating competition?"

"I have to admit, you didn't do half bad."

"Better than you."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep. Because even in a girls' sport like figure skating, men are so much better than women!"

"I'm not the one who needed an extra step to land that opening double axel."

"Oh, yeah? Well... um... well..."

"Just admit it, Reef. I was the better skater."

"Never!"

Fin giggled, shaking her head as she started to pick up speed and pull away from Reef.

"Hey, you can't just ski away from me like that!"

"What are you talking about?" Fin shouted back. "Oh, and last one back down has to carry both pairs of skis back to the lodge tonight!"

"Oh, you're on, sister!" Reef exclaimed as he started to pursue Fin.

* * *

Finally, around 4:30 as the sun started to set, the long training day came to an end, and the competitors were walking back to the vans for the trip back to Vancouver.

With arms and legs aching, most of the competitors took to trying to recuperate by either immediately going right to bed, stretching, soaking in the bathtub, or getting a massage... with help.

As was the case with Gwen, who was on the receiving end of a back massage courtesy of Trent.

"Oh... so good..." Gwen moaned as she lied on the couch.

"Man, we sure got worked today," Trent admitted.

"I just hope I'll be able to feel my legs tomorrow."

Cody sat nearby, sitting in one of the dining room chairs with his legs propped up on a second.

"Me too. Jen pushes me so hard."

"What's wrong with that?" Trent asked. "Isn't that why you picked her as your partner?"

"Yeah, but she's so determined. That, and she's so naturally athletic. I, on the other hand, not so much."

"Why don't you tell her to ease up?"

"I could... but I'm worried she'll turn into another Courtney."

"Jen's nothing like Courtney," Gwen spoke up on her roommate's behalf, before rethinking her stance. "Then again..."

"See? The only real difference is she hasn't been unjustly been booted off a reality show, after which she sued in retaliation which ended up with her getting back on the show with a 'if I don't win, the show's unfair' mentality."

"Thank goodness we don't vote people off this reality series," Trent thought aloud.

Gwen and Cody shot Trent an odd look.

"Okay, we vote people into elimination challenges, but we're not responsible if they lose them and get sent home."

"Speaking of which," Gwen reminded herself as she glanced back at Cody, "you okay with putting Heather in the challenge if you and Jen win?"

"Sure!" Cody answered without hesitation. "Is Jen on-board?"

"She's as ready to see her go as I am."

* * *

The next morning in Whistler, it was starting to lightly snow at the Olympic Park. But back in Vancouver...

"C'mon, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" Reef wished as he stared out the window and into the pouring rainstorm.

Daylight was only beginning to break as Reef wondered if the challenge would go on as scheduled. But as the morning dragged on, the rain started letting up and the clouds started to part.

Finally, at around 10 am, the competitors received a text on their iPhones.

"Be prepared to leave at 10:30," Harold read aloud to Trent and Cody. "Ski-through and final practice immediately upon arrival; competition starts at approximately 3:00. Also pack your bags, because one team will be sent home by sunset."

The competitors scrambled to get dressed, but in 503, one girl was all set to hit the slopes.

"Admit it," Lo said with a smile. "I make having all of these clothes on look good!"

Lo was showing off a new skiing outfit that she had just bought prior to the competition... and it was snug and very form-fitting.

"You sure know how to work it, girl!" Fin exclaimed.

"Looking good is one thing, but I wanna look good when I cross that finish line first!"

"As long as one of us finishes first today, I think we're both okay to move onto the next round."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I could worry about whether Lo is thinking about trying to send me and Reef home," Fin admitted, "but I won't. At least not with so many other deserving people that need to get the axe. Like those Total Drama people, for example."

"I had a lot of time last night to think about it," Lo said out loud, "and I've decided I'm not taking any chances! I have to do what Heather tells me! My chances of winning this game are in her hands!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Hurry up, Lindsay, we're gonna miss the van!" Fin yelled as she and Lo walked out of the apartment.

The two girls entered the hallway, only to see Heather waiting for them.

"Hello, Lauren!"

"What do you want?" Fin asked, standing in between Lo and Heather.

"It's okay," Lo reassured Fin. "I've got this."

Fin glared at Heather, then headed for the elevator. Once alone, Heather told Lo of her plan.

"Make sure you're skiing the final leg. I want you to ski in front of me so I can draft on you, then you let me pass you on the final straightaway! Got it?"

"Got it," Lo confirmed, smiling as she gave Heather a thumbs up.

"That's what I like to hear... no objections!"

Heather walked off towards the elevator, while Lo let out a defeated sigh before following her.

* * *

Whistler Olympic Park

Upon arrival, the competitors went to the Lodge to rent out skis for the day, and then they all headed out on a mandatory ski-through to feel out the course conditions themselves. Flurries were still falling, and the small amount of snow that had accumulated had covered up what little tracks they had managed to put down yesterday.

Despite that, for the most part the competitors were making their way through the course easier than the day before.

After completing the course, almost everyone participated in target practice in hopes of honing their skills there as best as possible.  
Harold and Lindsay were having the most success, as they were stringing together successful four- and five-hit rounds.

"Yeah!" Lindsay shouted, high-fiving her teammate.

"All we have to do is nail the skiing part, and we're a shoo-in to win!" Harold exclaimed.

Meanwhile, a few rows down, Heather was among those still struggling, despite the help her teammate Jude was offering her. After a handful of rounds of ones and twos, and a glimmer of hope with a single three, she threw her rifle down to the ground in frustration.

"You better be careful with that!" Jude said to her. "Wouldn't want it going off and hit someone."

Heather picked her rifle back up and then marched over to Lo, who was watching Wyatt practice prone-position firing.

"I can't win this if I don't get better at shooting!" Heather shouted before pushing her rifle into Lo's arms. "I want you to teach me how to shoot better."

"Why me?"

"You know why..."

Lo rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine... let's get this over with."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I don't know how much more of this I can take!" Lo screamed. "She's working on very last nerve! This was not what I signed up for!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

After giving Heather a few pointers, Lo walked back over to her teammate, Wyatt, who had a look of concern on his face.

"Is something going on between you and Heather? It looks like she's really getting to you."

"Nothing I can't handle... really!"

"Coffee always calms me when something's bugging me. Want to get a cup with me?"

Lo smiled. "Make it a double frappe mocha-ccino, and you've got a deal!"

* * *

A few hours later, it was time for the challenge to begin. Despite the weather turning mushy with a mix of raindrops and snowflakes now falling, all six teams were gathered by the starting line, all geared up and ready to head out on the course. Standing opposite of them was Allen with a starter's pistol, ready to send them off.

"Hopefully, you've all spent time deciding who will go when, noting that you must alternate legs..."

"By alternating legs," Lindsay cut in, "do you mean skiing one lap with only one leg and then doing the other lap on the other leg?"

Harold then whispered an answer into his teammate's ear.

"Ohhhhhhh! But why didn't he just say that?"

"Anyway, may ask that those of you are skiing the first leg to please take a ski step forward."

The aforementioned participants stepped forward... and they were Cody, Fin, Jude, Lindsay, Trent, and Wyatt.

"Intriguing... only two girls stepped forward, and one of them is Fin. May I ask, Fin, how you and your partner came to that decision?"

"We flipped a coin, and I lost."

"That's... that's it?"

"Yep."

"Exactly," added Reef.

"Not sure I believe you," Allen said at first, "but since we don't have time to delve further... let's just get started, shall we? You six, up to the line!"

The six first-leggers skied up to the starting line, and after a few seconds for Allen to prep the pistol, he raised it into the air, and...

BANG!

The six skiers took off at varying speeds as they headed for the turn leading out of the 'stadium.' Trent and Jude were side-by-side, followed by Cody, Fin, Wyatt, and Lindsay. Their teammates cheered as the group disappeared out of sight.

* * *

As the skiers made their way up the trail on the first 2.5 km lap, they were proceeding at a slower pace than they were making during the earlier walkthrough, given the weather was affecting their visibility. Jude moved to the front, and the group pretty much continued on in single-file formation, with Trent right behind Jude, followed by Fin, Wyatt, Cody, and Lindsay.

But as they started to get to the steeper parts of the course, Lindsay began to struggle to keep pace with the others. Cody was also visibly struggling, but for now he hadn't fallen off.

* * *

Back in the 'stadium,' the other six were trying to mental prepare themselves, but the rain-snow mixture was definitely troublesome. Gwen was the first to notice the snow under her skis was turning mushy, meaning it would make skiing even more difficult.

"Ugh! This is unbelievable!"

"This isn't so bad!" Reef exclaimed, still very confident. "This makes it more fun!"

"You won't be saying that when you're unable to move up the mountain," Harold warned.

* * *

Back with the on-course group, where the rain-snow mixture was edging more towards a majority being snow, the front four skiers were still single-file as they made the turn at the top of the course and began their descent. Cody was a few seconds back, but still had the leaders in his sights.

Lindsay, on the other hand...

"Am I there yet?" she asked aloud.

Seconds later, she saw the front four coming back down, as they passed to her left, separated only by the blue markers in the snow separating the paths.

* * *

A few minutes pass, and the leaders were climbing the hill overlooking the stadium. Wyatt and Fin were both being weighed down by the loose snow, and they were starting to fall a little bit behind Trent and Jude, who continued to lead the way.

The leaders heard some faint cheering as they reached the top and descended towards the 180-degree turn into the stadium. Trent fought to keep steady as he went into the turn with Jude right behind him. But as he leaned inwards during the turn, his skis lost contact with the snow. Before he could correct it, he was already off of his feet and falling. Jude had nowhere to go, and he ran right into Trent, sending the two of them tumbling to the ground.

"Did they just wipe out?" Reef asked, partially amused.

"Oh no, Trent!" Gwen gasped with worry.

As Trent and Jude slowly got off the ground, Fin had cautiously made her way through the tough turn and was now in the lead. Wyatt was heading for the turn, and he too slowed up to avoid falling.

Despite taking the worst of the crash, Trent was back up and skiing away just as Wyatt passed by. Jude was taking his sweet time, though.

"Jude, what are you doing?" Heather yelled. "Move it already!"

Jude got to his feet and started chasing after the others. The four leaders made their way around the stadium and to the shooting range. Fin was the first to get into position, as she grabbed her rifle and got ready to fire. Wyatt skied to his spot just as Fin fired her first shot, with Trent and Jude just seconds behind him.

[Standing Round 1]  
Fin: XOOXO  
Wyatt: OXXOO  
Trent: OOXOX  
Jude: XXOOO

Each of the leaders hit three of five targets, so they all had to do two penalty laps. Fin headed for the penalty loop as the three boys at the target range were at various points at shooting. As she got started, she spotted Cody just entering the stadium.

Following the shooting segment, Jude found his stride and quickly passed Trent before they got to the penalty loop. He would eventually also get by Wyatt and Fin, to Heather's delight, by the time they were finished.

Jude tagged off to Heather, who took off on the course. About six seconds later, Fin came out of the loop and reached out to tag Reef. Shortly thereafter, Wyatt and Trent finished and let their partners Lo and Gwen head out.

One lap down, three to go. 22 seconds separated first from fourth, with Cody just finishing up at the target range and Lindsay skiing into the stadium at last.

* * *

Fast forwarding ahead in the challenge, Reef was up in front and was in the process of climbing the hill overlooking the stadium. Heather had fallen back towards Lo and Gwen, and the three girls were skiing together about 40-45 seconds back, reaching the bottom of the final hill just as Reef reached the top.

As Reef made his way down the hill and into the stadium, he could be clearly seen by those at the starting line, as the rain and snow was tapering off.

"Alright, Reef!" Fin cheered. "You've got this!"

Fin watched with a smile as Reef made his way to the firing range. As he arrived, more cheering erupted as Lo, Heather, and Gwen entered the stadium, with all three of them having picked up their pace slightly.

Reef grinned as he took aim, perhaps sensing panic in the competition. But after a successful first shot...

[Standing Round 2]  
Reef: OXXXX

"That's four," Cody observed.

"Four hits?" Fin asked, not able to clearly see Reef's board from her position.

"Not exactly..." Trent ambiguously answered, giving Fin time to figure it out herself.

"You **MISSED** four?" Fin screamed as she saw Reef ski towards her and the start of the penalty loop.

Reef ignored her as he started on his 'extra' skiing. As he did, his three closest competitors were completing the turn heading into the shooting area. Meanwhile, out of nowhere Jen had just entered the stadium, having made up a good amount of time.

[Standing Round 2]  
Heather: OOXXO  
Lo: OOOOX  
Gwen: XOOXO

The girls did much better than Reef, with Lo surprisingly only failing to hit her fifth and final target. That meant, following her lone penalty lap, she should reach the starting line first.

As they headed off, Jen skied into the shooting area...

[Standing Round 2]  
Jen: OOXOX

Harold entered the stadium in last place, who despite his best efforts could not make up much of the time his teammate Lindsay had stuck him with, just as Lo tagged off to Wyatt, officially marking the race's halfway point.

Wyatt was just on the outskirts of the stadium and beginning his second ascent, as Trent got his tag from Gwen 27 seconds behind, and Jude receiving his from Heather a couple of strides later. Fin, now heading off in fourth place, was more than a minute down. Jen tagged Cody to send him out about 10 seconds later.

* * *

With weather conditions improving throughout the course, even though flurries were still falling higher up, the better athletes and skiers were making their move. Or, at the very least, setting things up for their teammates on the final leg.

Wyatt was still in the lead, but Trent and Jude worked together to catch up, as the trio descended back down the mountain. The three were separated by just four seconds as they passed the time check at the 1.7-km mark.

They would stay together until the final climb, where Trent started to experience some intense pain from the crash on his first lap. He moved to the side to let Jude go by about halfway up. Jude got along aside his friend Wyatt at the top. Wyatt wisely let Jude take point as they skied down into the stadium.

Down their final straightaway, exhaustion started to set in as the gap between Jude and Wyatt was two or three ski lengths, and from Wyatt to Trent between seven and eight.

"Looks like I won't need your help after all," Heather stated aloud, though only one of the other five competitors at the line knew who she was talking to.

The three leaders moved into the shooting range. No sign of fourth place yet as they lied down in the prone position and took their shots...

[Prone Round 1]  
Jude: OOOXO  
Wyatt: OXXOO  
Trent: XOOOO

Jude led the way into the penalty loop, as Heather, Gwen, and Lo got ready to head out for their second trip. Meanwhile, Reef, Jen, and Harold were beginning to see their chances at winning fading away.

* * *

Back up the mountain, just starting on the way down, Lindsay wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she skied right into the marker indicating the halfway mark.

"Can I just not ski the final leg and just rest up?" Harold asked out of the blue. "Lindsay and I are probably gonna get thrown in anyway."

"No way!" objected Reef. "If the rest of us have to ski a second time, you do too!"

But Heather and Gwen missed their TDI alum's pleas for leniency, as their teammates were coming out of the penalty loop. Jude got to Heather with what would be about a nine-second gap before Gwen got hers from a wincing Trent.

"Go!" Trent shouted. "I'll be fine!"

Gwen looked back and nodded, then turned her attention towards her bitter rival. Meanwhile, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fin enter the stadium, still in fourth place but further behind then she had been when she had started the leg.

Back at the starting line, Wyatt tagged off to Lo. 48 seconds had passed since Heather's departure. Was that too much of a gap to make up?

Wyatt wondered that as Fin approached the shooting range, Cody was skiing his way into the stadium, and Lindsay was MIA.

* * *

Heather continued to hold the lead throughout the course, but she was definitely keeping an eye on Gwen, who was matching her stride for stride in an effort to keep her in sight.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"As tired as I was," Gwen commented, "I knew that if Heather got to the finish before I did, she's throwing us in the challenge. And I saw how much in pain Trent was when he tagged me. I don't like our chances of survival. I have to win, no matter what!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

As the two leaders were on their final climb, Heather took one last glance behind her. Seeing Gwen and only Gwen behind her, she realized that her 'hired' help, Lo, was too far back.

If Heather was going to win, she'd have to take down Gwen alone.

* * *

Once Heather had disappeared over the top of the hill and Gwen was seconds from doing the same, Lo, still in third place, arrived at the bottom and started making her way up as fast as she could.

* * *

Allen commentated for the finale as the other six competitors waited with at the finish line. Heather and Gwen were already in the stadium at this point, on their way to the shooting range.

"Heather, representing the Orange Team, leads the way, but it may be down to her and Gwen of the Silver Team to determine the winner!"

Heather reached the range first, took hold of her rifle and lied down on the mat, stomach first. Gwen had reached her mat as Heather began to fire, all the while they heard some cheers as Lo entered the stadium.

"These shots could spell victory or defeat..." Allen stated as Heather began to fire.

[Prone Round 2]  
Heather: OOXOX  
Gwen: XOOOX

"Is that Jen?" Jude asked, pointing at the stadium entrance. "No way!"

Jen was now in the stadium, skiing undoubtedly the fast individual leg in the challenge - but was it going to be enough? Heather was already in the midst of her first of two penalty laps, Gwen was starting hers, and Lo was on the ground, aiming her rifle.

[Prone Round 2]  
Lo: OOOXO

"Four of five!" Allen exclaimed. "Lo's put herself in position to possibly steal the win!"

Lo strapped her rifle to her back and headed off to complete her one penalty lap, just as Heather was starting her second. A two-person race had just turned into a three-person one.

Could Jen make it an improbable four?

[Prone Round 2]  
Jen: OOOOX

Jen's last shot just missed her fifth and final target low, and she was forced into taking one penalty lap... as Heather left the loop to head to the finish. Lo was right behind her, and so was Gwen.

The three girls followed the final portion of the course to the last straightaway, which was a 150 meter ski sprint. Heather and Lo began the sprint almost dead even, Gwen a few strides behind. The others cheered the ladies on as they fought exhaustion to the finish line.

But then...

"No way!" Trent exclaimed.

"I never would've bet on her!" Lindsay, who had found her way back after all, stated with a gasp.

"I knew she could do it the whole time," Wyatt said with a smile.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"When we went on that coffee break," confessed Wyatt, "Lo told me everything. How Heather had forced her into helping her."

"But then I told him that it was all part of my plan," Lo smirked. "Remember, I'm a Ridgemount. I'm a much better skier than I've led everyone, even Heather, to believe."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

As Gwen faded down the stretch, Heather began to as well. But Lo had just enough left in the tank to start to pull away.

"Hey, I'm supposed to win!"

"Sorry, Heather! But today's my day!"

Lo took one last look back, saw that Heather couldn't physically respond to her move, and then raised her poles in jubilation as she crossed the finish line first.

Her margin of victory? 2.3 seconds.

Lo came to a stop and danced as her teammate, Wyatt, made his way over and hugged her.

"It worked! You did it!"

"No, Wyatt, we did it! I did most of the hard work, but... we did it!"

"We'll get 'em next time," Jude said to Heather.

"Save your pity for someone who cares, loser!" she responded.

Gwen crossed eight seconds after Heather, and promptly collapsed at the line. Trent hobbled over and reached down to help her up.

"I tried..."

"I know you did, Gwen. You did your best. That's all I wanted."

As Trent finally got Gwen to her feet, Jen skied across the line, a little dejected as she was left to wonder how close she ended up being to what she thought was an expected victory.

Reef, who had reached the stadium entrance right around when Lo had crossed the line, would finish fifth, 3:06 behind. Harold, decided to stick his word and not ski the final leg.

* * *

After a short bit of downtime, the results were ready to be made official, as Allen had two imitation gold medals in hand.

"What an incredible finish!" Allen proclaimed. "Brown Team... you guys were complete underdogs. The last two to be paired together when teams were picked. And, here we are... you guys won today's challenge! Congratulations!"

Allen handed the medals over to Wyatt and Lo.

"Each of you get a $500 gift certificate to Albatross and Finch, which you can enjoy after the competition. But more importantly, in terms of the game, you now have to select two teams to put into the Elimination Challenge."

Wyatt and Lo began discussing amongst themselves their possible choices, while the others looked on.

"Need a decision, guys," Allen exclaimed after they were taking too much time.

The two teens came to an agreement, and were finally ready to make their choice.

"I'll just say that this wasn't an easy decision," Lo admitted, "but over the past days, I found myself getting into trouble with certain alliances..."

That grabbed everyone's attention, from partners Harold and Lindsay, to friends Reef and Fin. About the only person that wasn't shocked about this, other than Wyatt, was Heather.

"So to fix things, our choices to put in the challenge are... the Silver Team and the Orange Team."

"That's the way you want to play?" Heather shouted. "Fine!"

"Of course it is... because I've beaten you to the punch! You don't have to tell everyone that I'm in an alliance with you... because I just did!"

"So that's what that talk in the van was about!" gasped Fin.

"Exactly! And now... I get to see Heather get sent home."

"You formed an alliance with someone else," Jude looked at his teammate, wide-eyed, "and you didn't tell me? Dude!"

"First off, I'm not your dude," Heather told his partner before looking at Lo. "And second... you're gonna regret this, rich girl!"

"I doubt it," Lo replied with confidence. "I put Trent and Gwen in the challenge, because I know they can beat your butt!"

"Ha! You think I'm scared of goth girl and her boy toy?"

"Oh, you'd better be scared!" Gwen cut in. "I owe you a little payback for TDA, mind you!"

"It's on!" Trent added, trying to mask the fact he was still in pain.

With Gwen and Trent glaring at Heather and vice versa, with Heather also showing her displeasure towards Lo, Allen decided it was time to get things moving.

"I have to say, Brown Team, if anything... you've brought a classic Total Drama rivalry back to the surface. One that's gonna have a new chapter written today... with either Gwen or Heather sending the other home.

"Once I've had the pleasure of sending Gwennie home," Heather noted, "I'll personally make sure Lauren's next. And then, her real alliance partners, and then everyone else in this game!"

The statement made more than a few people nervous, including, again, Harold and Lindsay.

"Ahem," Allen cut in, trying to get on track. "It's time for the Elimination Challenge! Today, we have a 'Biathlon Team Race' at stake. All four competitors will take off from the start together and complete one 2.5 kilometer lap. When you all return, both teams will go to the shooting range, where each person must complete one round of firing. One teammate must shoot from a standing position, the other from the prone position. Each team cannot enter the shooting area until both team members are present, and teams cannot leave until both team members complete any applicable individual penalty laps.

"Upon leaving the shooting area, teams will race to the finish line. Naturally, first team to cross wins and remains in the game. Losers go home. Simple as that."

* * *

After a brief amount of time to get ready, time suddenly become of the essence as daylight was fading. The four safe teams stood on the side of the starting line opposite of Allen, who was ready to send the two competing teams on their way.

"Remember, winners stay alive, losers are goners!"

With that, Allen fired the starter's pistol, and the challenge began! The four competitors took off, with Jude taking the lead, followed by Heather, Gwen, and Trent. It didn't take long for them to disappear behind the trees, and the others were left to wait and see who would come back first.

* * *

Up on the mountain, Jude was taking advantage of having the most down time prior to the Elimination Challenge, and he left the others, including his teammate, Heather, behind. But Heather was still ahead of Trent and Gwen, who were working together and fighting through pain and exhaustion.

"C'mon, we've got to keep up," Gwen told Trent as Heather started to put some distance between them.

Trent nodded, and the two continued side-by-side up the mountain.

* * *

Minute after minute passed, and the four teams anxiously wondered who would be the first team back. They should've been wondering who would be the first person back. Because Jude entered the stadium after being gone nearly ten minutes, and it looked as if no one was with him.

"I wonder where Heather is," Jen thought out loud.

"Behind Gwen and Trent, I hope" Lo wished.

"They better be, or things are going to get pretty ugly around here," Reef commented.

Jude reached the target area, but Allen motioned for him to stop. He wasn't allowed to enter without Heather present. But she still hadn't entered the stadium.

That is, until that very second, as Cody pointed out to the others.

Heather skied her way down the straightaway, trying to get to the range as fast as she could. And that was because Trent had entered, to the delight of most of the other teams, and Gwen was just a few ski lengths behind him.

"C'mon, Trent and Gwen!" Wyatt exclaimed.

"You can still catch them!" Lo shouted.

Trent and Gwen chased after Heather, but they weren't able to get to her before Heather had reached Jude. The Orange Team was cleared to head into the shooting range. Heather stopped soon after, as she had chosen to shooting from the standing position, while Jude needed to ski a little further down before reaching the prone-positioned targets.

Heather began firing as Trent let Gwen catch up so they could enter the area together.

[Standing Final Round]  
Heather: OOOXO

As Heather strapped on her gun, Gwen reached the mat next to her. Meanwhile, Jude was ready to fire as Trent skied his way.

[Prose Final Round]  
Jude: OXOOO

Both Heather and Jude had earned one penalty lap apiece.

[Standing Final Round]  
Gwen: XOOOO

[Prose Final Round]  
Trent: OOOOO

Trent had managed to hit all five targets on his attempt, but because Gwen missed one of her five, Trent had to wait for Gwen to complete a penalty lap.

And that was that. Jude and Heather completed their penalty lap while Gwen was barely halfway through. By the time Gwen was finished, Jude was almost at the finish line, and Heather was comfortably cruising a few strides behind. The Silver Team set off for the finish line, though their fate was sealed. They reached the final straightaway just as Heather crossed the line.

The race was over.

Jude bent over to catch his breath, but gave a thumbs up to the guys before doing so. But although they were happy Jude was still around, that meant, unfortunately, Heather was still as well.

"Take a picture of the look on Gwen's face," Heather told Lo as she walked past her. "That'll be you after the next Elimination Challenge."

As Heather walked away smugly, Lo feared for what that meant as Trent and Gwen crossed the finish line. The couple was proud of their performance on the inside, but disappointed that this was it.

Harold summed up Lo's thoughts exactly.

"Even I wouldn't have predicted that ending."

* * *

The Silver and Orange Teams were on either side of Allen as the others watched him officially declare the winner of the Elimination Challenge.

"Well, Orange Team, that's two Elimination Challenges in a row. Jude and Heather, you both are once again safe."

A few claps could be heard, but no one was particularly happy for this result... save for Jude and Heather.

"Awesome!" Jude shouted. "A few more days in Vancouver! Sweet!"

Heather smirked as she waved farewell to her rival.

"That being said, Silver Team, it just wasn't meant to be. Trent and Gwen... it's time for you two to head on out of here."

All of the remaining competitors, save for Heather, came over to say their goodbyes. The last to exchange pleasantries in the entire exchange were Lo and Gwen.

"I'm sorry," Lo whispered as she hugged Gwen. "Nothing personal."

"I know," Gwen responded, giving Lo a comforting pat on the back.

With that, Trent and Gwen waved one more time as they headed out of the stadium and to the airport.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I think the Brown Team made the absolute right choice to put us in the challenge to eliminate Heather," Gwen said. "We just didn't pull through on our end of the bargain."

"It's just the way it goes sometimes," Trent admitted. "If not for me falling out on the course, Gwen and I might have won, and it would've been someone else going home right now."

"Am I mad that Heather ended up sending me home again? Well, yeah... but something tells me I'll get a chance to get back at her real soon."

"Hopefully the next time we're on a reality show, Heather isn't on it with us."

"As for Trent..."

"As for Gwen..."

"This time being partners brought back memories..."

"Some good ones, some bad ones, and all I'll never forget..."

"But who knows," they both admitted, via split-screen. "Maybe the day will come when we're ready to address that..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

No one knows what the future holds for Trent and Gwen's relationship, but at least they'll get a nice, peaceful ride to the airport together.

"With Trent and Gwen now out," Allen said to the remaining teams, "there are only five teams left. We started with 20 of you, and half of the field has gone home. Could today's results impact which team gets sent packing next?

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow. Good night, all!"

The ten teens headed off of the mountain and towards the vans for the trip to Vancouver, leaving many of them to contemplate Allen's words as to how Heather's survival may have changed the game's outcome.

To be continued...

* * *

(Next time on 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"I'm determined to make this work, no matter what!" Cody exclaimed.

(Some friends are upset about being left out of the loop...)

"We worked together for a whole summer!" yelled Fin. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"But I just wanted to show that I could fix my own mistakes," defended Lo.

(Some teammates aren't quite getting along...)

"She's, like, harshing my mellow!" Jude exclaimed.

Lindsay nodded. "I promise not to tell anyone!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"And here comes the yelling," Wyatt stated, before putting on a pair of headphones.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

"Man, he sure screams like a girl," commented Harold.

(And a few just want to survive the next challenge, literally...)

"90 miles an hour?" Jen freaked. "**ARE YOU PEOPLE INSANE?**"

"Hello!" Heather waved. "Sanity goes out the window the minute you sign up for a reality show!"

(But the biggest twist of all isn't even on the track...)

"All I'll tell you is that the winners will have the power to change the game in their favor," Allen told the competitors.

(Find out what happens on the next 'Fresh from Canada,' coming soon!)


	6. Episode Five

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Five  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you," hinted Heather, who took the seat next to Lo.

Heather had stumbled upon the alliance meeting between the Blue and and Brown teams, and was about to out one of the members to her friends. That is, until...

"I want you to form an alliance with me!"

"You?"

"Yes, me! Do it, or else!"

And so, Lo was forced to ally with Heather in order to keep her first alliance a secret from everyone else.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I never knew reality shows could be so full of manipulation!" Lo exclaimed.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

But more was in store as the competitors hit the slopes for the first time... as well as the rifles...

"This is so cool! You think someone could get me one for Christmas?"

"No!" Jen shouted, taking the rifle away. "You'll shoot your eye out!"

The biathlon was tough on many fronts, including the weather making the course treacherous...

"Did they just wipe out?" Reef asked, partially amused.

"Oh no, Trent!" Gwen gasped with worry.

But as conditions improved, a surprising victor emerged...

"It worked! You did it!"

"No, Wyatt, we did it! I did most of the hard work, but... we did it!"

With the fate of the game in her control, Lo, with teammate Wyatt's help, decided to put Heather and her teammate Jude in the Elimination Challenge...

"That's the way you want to play?" Heather shouted. "Fine!"

And put the Silver Team in against them, knowing Trent and Gwen were the only team capable of knocking Heather out...

"Oh, you'd better be scared!" Gwen cut in. "I owe you a little payback for TDA, mind you!"

"It's on!" Trent added, trying to mask the fact he was still in pain.

But exhaustion and injury were a factor as Trent and Gwen weren't able to rise to the challenge, and were sent home...

"I'm sorry," Lo whispered as she hugged Gwen. "Nothing personal."

"I know," Gwen responded, giving Lo a comforting pat on the back.

With that, Trent and Gwen waved one more time as they headed out of the stadium and to the airport.

Will Heather make Lo regret betraying her? How will her friends Fin and Reef react? And will anyone be ready for tonight's challenge? Find out right now on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

The ride back to Vancouver from Whistler was a relatively quiet one, given the events that transpired at Whistler Olympic Park. But that all changed once the competitors were back in their apartments.

"I can't believe you'd keep an alliance from me!"

Fin was not happy about being left out of the loop, and she was letting Lo know about it, as well as the other members of the alliance in Lindsay, Harold, and Wyatt.

"To be fair, the alliance wasn't my idea," Lo replied. "It was Lindsay that approached me..."

"Oh, and when were you going to let me and Reef in on it? After you had us voted off?"

"Just calm down," Wyatt spoke up. "The thought of voting you two off never crossed our minds."

"Yeah," Lindsay added. "I mean we were going to get to you eventually, but we had Courtney and Heather and..."

"What my partner means," Harold cut her off, "is that our plan was to get rid of all of the teams we didn't like. And then we'd see where we'd go from there."

"And if Lindsay and Harold would've brought up the thought of trying to get you and Reef out, and mind you, to this point they haven't even once, I would've convinced them to change their minds."

Fin sighed.

"Look, Harold and Lindsay. I'm sure you two are nice people, but the truth is that I don't know you that well. Lo, neither do you! I'm not sure of how trustworthy they are!"

"They haven't steered me wrong yet," Lo said in response.

"And what happens if and when they do? Look, all I'm wondering is, why didn't you come to me and Reef... wait, okay, just me... first?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, Fin, but... you and Reef are, like, ultra-competitive. How do I know you won't try and get me and Wyatt out of the game if you thought we were your biggest threat?"

"We worked together for a whole summer!" yelled Fin. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"But I just wanted to show that I could fix my own mistakes," defended Lo. "I'm trying to prove how independent I am!"

"Uh huh, right... and you joined an alliance? You're being dependent on someone!"

"And what's wrong with that?" Wyatt interrupted.

"I concur," agreed Harold. "Yes, there will only be one winner in the end, but nobody says you have to get there without any help."

"Ooh, I have an idea!" bubbled in Lindsay. "Why don't you and Reef join our alliance? That would give us a majority!"

"This isn't about us wanting to join your alliance to ensure Reef and I are still here tomorrow night! This is about a friend teaming up with someone else without including us! Do you see us doing that?"

* * *

"All I'm asking you to do is promise me that if you win the next challenge, throw in the Blue and Orange Teams!"

Jen and Cody looked at each other, huddled for a few seconds to discuss it, before coming to a decision.

"Alright," Jen nodded in agreement. "This one time, we'll agree to vote them in."

"We just wanna get rid of Heather," Cody added. "Then, it'll be every team for themselves the rest of the way!"

"Deal!" Reef exclaimed, shaking hands with his team's new partners.

* * *

"Lo, Reef and I are your friends," Fin said to her. "We're not the enemy, okay? We just want to make sure you don't screw yourself out of this game."

"Alright... the next time I'm in trouble, I'll come to you guys first. I promise."

"Good."

Fin then turned to the others in the room.

"Oh, and just to show you no hard feelings... if Reef and I win the next challenge, we'll throw the other two teams in. Deal?"

"Deal!" Harold, Lindsay, and Wyatt said in unison.

"Okay... I'm going to go turn in! I'm so beat after such a long day!"

Fin stretched her arms as she walked off to her bedroom.

"Some friend you've got there," Harold said to Lo after Fin had left.

"She means well," Wyatt said. "We all have friends like that."

"But she didn't have to go off like that in front of you guys," Lo sighed. "As if I didn't feel bad enough after sending Gwen and Trent home."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"If I knew winning that biathlon thing would result in all of this, I would've let Heather finish first!" Lo exclaimed. "It's hard to make one bad decision and it end up everyone hates me for it."

"Lo needs to realize who her friends are," Fin reiterated. "I mean, if both her team and her alliance partners end up in the next Elimination Challenge, you think they're gonna want to help each other?"

"Between Lo and us," Reef said with a smile, "we've got Heather covered! We're going to make sure third time's the charm! You get thrown into the Elimination three times, and you come back out the first two times, you sure as heck ain't coming out a third, you evil betty!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

After a good night's sleep, hopefully the competitors have put aside the past and moved onto the present. Because another challenge awaits them...

"Departure time is 10 am," Jen read the text message aloud to Heather. "Dress for outdoor weather and wear tights underneath, if you have them."

"I wonder what Olympic event Allen has in store for us today."

"Well, whatever it is, we'd better hurry up," Jen stated as she looked at the clock. "It's already five minutes after nine, and..."

Before Jen knew it, Heather was already halfway to the shower.

"And don't take all the hot water again like you did yesterday!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Heather must be an only child," Jen remarked, "because there's no way she would have this much disregard for others if she had a sibling."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Whistler

Later that morning, the ten remaining competitors arrived in Whistler. But before finding out what Winter Olympic event they're going to compete in next, there's a little surprise waiting for them.

In the form of a brunch buffet at the village lodge...

"Man, look at this spread!" gasped Reef.

"So much scrumptious food!" added Harold.

"Now I see why they didn't give us any breakfast today," Cody noted. "It's nice to be treated like human beings for once."

The gang went to work piling up their plates. Well, almost everyone, as Heather was being particularly picky about the food.

Or maybe she was just suspicious...

"Okay, what's the catch?" Heather asked out of the blue as she gently squeezed a Canadian bacon-and-cheese sandwich. "There's a reason they're trying to stuff us full of food."

"Oh, lighten up," Fin said, grabbing a turkey-and-cheese as she passed by.

"Besides," Jen pointed out, "you could stand to gain a few pounds."

Heather gasped. "What?"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I happen to like my figure!" Heather stated matter-of-factly.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

As they chowed down, the gang had one eye on a nearby big-screen TV, which was playing a movie showing off the Whistler Olympic venues.

"So..." Lindsay wondered in between bites, "what do you think we're doing today?"

"More skiing, probably," guessed Harold.

"Maybe we'll actually get to see some ski bunnies this time instead of just wandering around in the woods all day," remarked Reef.

"Like some ski bunny would want to wander around with you," Fin smirked.

"Hey! No girl can resist the Reefster!"

"Uh huh, yeah... and how many girls here have resisted you?"

"For your information, just Lindsay! And that's because she keeps telling me she's saving herself for some dude named Tyler..."

"Tyler?" Lindsay jumped out of her seat, looking around the room. "Where?"

"You mean that wannabe jock that was paired up with Emma?" Fin remembered. "She could do so much better than him."

"He could do so much better than Lindsay," Lo said out loud, unintentionally. "Like, I dunno... me?"

"Hey!" Lindsay shouted. "Alliance partners don't steal each other's boyfriends!"

"Fine! Don't have to get so defensive, Lindsay!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I was just joking," stated Lo as she toyed with her hair. "He was, like, the first guy sent home. I only date winners."

"Lo really crossed the line today," Lindsay thought out loud. "It's like the rules say... whomever sees the cute boy first claims him! Hmmm... but is that forever? Or at least until next week? The rules don't seem to be clear on that..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

After polishing off brunch, the competitors were whisked away to the location of today's challenge... the Whistler Sliding Centre. During the Olympics, this was the place where the luge, skeleton, and bobsled events would be held. Today, the competitors were going to participate in one of those three disciplines.

But most of them weren't even familiar with the sliding events coming in, until they saw the track itself.

"Look up there!" Harold exclaimed, pointing at a video monitor.

Everyone's eyes gazed towards the screen, as the camera being monitored showed someone coming down the course through one of the banked turns.

"That... is... awesome!" Jude cheered. "Where do I sign up?"

"You already are..." Allen said as he approached the teenagers. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Whistler Sliding Centre!"

"Are we doing what I think we're doing?" asked Wyatt.

"Probably," nodded Allen. "I'll admit that we hit a bit of a lull lately, but that changes today when we ratchet the speedometer up a few notches. That's because your next Olympic event is the luge!"

"Is that accurate?" Lindsay wondered as a small graphic appeared on the monitor regarding the speed of the luger at the finish line. "Because of it is, shouldn't he be arrested for speeding?"

A couple of gasps could be heard from the group after reading the speedometer display: 146.0 km/h (90.7 mph).

"Unreal..." Fin uttered.

"90 miles an hour?" Jen freaked as she looked at Allen. "**ARE YOU PEOPLE INSANE?**"

"Hello!" Heather waved. "Sanity goes out the window the minute you sign up for a reality show!"

Lo raised her hand. "Um... I don't think my family's insurance policy covers this."

"I'm pretty sure nobody's does," remarked Fin.

"This would be so cool..." Cody began, "if I didn't feel like this would be the death of me."

Cody then promptly fainted into Wyatt's arms.

* * *

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Did I suddenly switch reality shows?" Jen wondered. "Did this suddenly turn into a Canadian version of 'Fear Factor?'"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"No way this can be safe!" Jen complained to Allen.

"It's been tested many times since it's been opened," responded Allen, "and I have been assured that the track is certifiably safe."

"Oh, Jen's just being a baby," Heather said.

"No, I'm not! And why are you not freaked out about this?"

Heather began counting off the reasons.

"High dive off a cliff into shark-infested waters, motor cross race full of explosions, being lost in the woods twice, having to take on an Escaped Psycho Killer with a Chainsaw and a Hook, extreme rock climbing... and that's just Season One!"

"So you're saying..."

"That riding on some itty-bitty sled at 90 miles an hour will be child's play, dear Jen."

"Maybe so," Allen cut in, "but as required by the law of the sport, all of you must complete an all-day information-and-training session before you can even take one step onto the track. Plus, there's a great prize on the line when you all actually compete tomorrow."

"Like what?" Harold asked.

"An Acer Aspire 1810T-8968 Olympic Edition Laptop! Four gigabytes of memory, an 11.6" screen, and it's powered by Windows 7!"

"Did someone pay you to say that?" Wyatt wondered out loud.

"Think of it this way... without sponsors, we wouldn't have cool prizes to give to you guys! But if you're not interested in the prize, there is another reason to want to win this challenge."

"To win immunity and vote two teams into the Elimination Challenge?" guessed Lo.

"Normally, yes. But not this time!"

"WHAT?" everyone shouted.

"All I'll tell you is that the winners will have the power to change the game in their favor," Allen told the competitors. "And, trust me, you'll want that power. But... you'll have to wait until the end of the day to find out. For now... time for training!"

With that, the ten teenagers were led off to luge training.

* * *

A young couple in their 20s was in charge of showing the competitors how to luge. They all listened attentively, acutely aware of the dangers of the course.

"It's very important that you stay focused during a run," the female told them.

"The slightest mistake could cost you more than just victory," forewarned the male.

Jen raised her hand to ask a question.

"Do people serious get hurt doing this?"

"If you don't know what you are doing, then yes, one can be seriously hurt."

"But if you follow our instructions, we assure you that you greatly increase your chances of getting down the course in one piece."

* * *

Up at the top of the course, Allen explained the rules of the Olympic challenge this time around.

"Each team will make a total of three runs down the course. The girls will tackle the track first, followed by the boys in the second round. The third and final round is a two-person run, as both team members will ride together on one sled, one on top of the other.

"The goal, of course, is to get to the bottom of the track with the fastest time possible. For any round in which the run is not completed, for whatever reason, that participant or participants will receive a time equal to the time of the slowest finisher in that round, plus a penalty of thirty seconds.

"The team with the fastest combined time after all three runs wins."

* * *

Back at the training session, the five teams were receiving their sleds, each painted in their respective team colors. They also had been just informed of the details of the Olympic challenge, and the fact that it included one two-person run.

"The two-person luge is run with both participants facing upwards, with one laying on top of the other," the young woman told them.

"The person on the bottom still controls the sled," informed the male, "but both sledders must shift their weight together, or they risk crashing!"

The teams began the uncomfortable procedure of lying down together.

"Do I seriously have to do this?" Lo asked her partner.

"I'm not exactly comfortable with this either," Wyatt responded.

Heather gave Jude a look as she prepared to lie down on top of him.

"Don't get any funny ideas!" she threatened him.

"Why, Heather, I have no idea what you are talking about," Jude said before stopping, thinking for a second, and then, "Oh... heh heh..."

It looked as if all of the girls were going to ride on top of the guys. That is, except for...

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"As much as I'm hating the luge more and more," Jen admitted, "the only one of us capable of driving our sled to victory is me! Cody just doesn't have it in him to be competitive."

"I'm starting to believe that Jen doesn't believe in me," exclaimed Cody. "Still... I'm determined to make this work, no matter what!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Heather smirked slyly as she saw Cody lying down backwards onto Jen.

"Never would've guessed that you like to be on the bottom," remarked Heather.

Jen gasped. "You didn't!"

Cody blushed. "It's seriously not what you think..."

"What does that mean anyway?" Lindsay wondered out loud.

"Beats me," replied a just-as-befuddled Lo.

"Enough shenanigans!" the male clapped to get their attention. "If you value your lives, you will realize that being touchy-feely at 90 miles per hour is NOT A GOOD IDEA!"

"To demonstrate..." began his partner...

* * *

"Who wants to be first one down the course?"

The group was now was at the starting line marked for the women's and doubles races, armed with sleds and staring down into the world's fastest sliding course on the planet.

"Let me show you amateurs how this is done," Reef said as he stepped forward, winking at their female coach.

"Get on!"

"Don't mind if I... ahhhhhh!"

Reef looked down to see the male coach lying in the sled... who responded by throwing a helmet into Reef's chest.

"You thought you were going down with my fiancé? Shame on you!"

Reef sighed. "I knew this was too good to be true..."

* * *

Sixty seconds later...

"**!**"

"Man, he sure screams like a girl," commented Harold, as the screams could be heard from the top.

Fin shook her head as her teammate was embarrassing himself once again.

"Please tell me he's going to make it," pleaded Jen, unable to watch.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Wyatt reassured his friend... though he too was a little fearful of his future first run.

Suddenly, the screams of fear turned into screams of joy. Reef had survived the ride to the bottom of the track.

"Whoo hoo! I made it all the way down!" he could be heard yelling.

"Alright, ladies," cut in the female coach. "Who's up?"

All the girls stepped aside... except for Jen.

"Wait a minute! I can't do this! Someone can really get hurt!"

"Looks like we've got a chicken among us," smirked Heather.

"What's your deal, anyway?"

"Nothing. I'm just curious why Little Miss Athlete is afraid to ride on a sled!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm just trying to make sure no one gets hurt doing some crazy stunt they're so not prepared for!" explained Jen.

"Cluck cluck, cluck cluck... ba-kaw!" clucked Heather.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"You know," Fin suggested, "she'd shut up if you just go!"

Jen looked at Heather, who was continuing her mocking by doing the infamous Chicken Dance... to everyone's surprise.

"No way!" snickered Cody. "She's really doing **THAT**?"

Jen had no choice as she motioned for the coach to hand her a helmet.

* * *

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Jen and the coach had completed their run successfully, but Jen's face was a little pale as she took off her helmet.

"Oh, don't worry... after a few runs you won't feel anything at all!"

* * *

Soon enough, everyone had experienced their first trip down the track, riding tandem with one of their instructors. But now it was time for the competitors to attempt a solo practice run.

And again, it was Reef stepping up to the plate to go first, his red-colored sled in hand.

"This is going to be a piece of cake!"

* * *

Sixty seconds later...

Reef's sled crossed the finish line, but he wasn't on it. In fact, he had fallen off in Turn 14 after fighting most of the way down to stay on. A couple of track monitors raced out to check on him, but Reef managed to get to his feet and walk away under his own power.

"Man, I got totally worked!" Reef admitted. "What's up with that course?"

* * *

Back at the top...

"See?" Jen pointed out. "I told you this wasn't safe!"

"Chill," Jude reassured her. "It was just one wipeout. I'm sure everyone else will be okay..."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Lindsay, Wyatt, Cody, and Lo had all attempted their first individual runs on the course. None of them reached the finish on their sled.

"I have to blatantly point out that I did not see this coming!" stated Harold aloud.

"They just don't know how to ride a sled like I do," Heather said as she placed her sled down at the starting line.

"Heather, don't!" Jen warned. "Before you know it, someone's going to get seriously hurt! And it could be you!"

"Oh, please... just because you're afraid of crashing doesn't mean I am! Just watch as I..."

* * *

A short time later...

"My arm! My arm!" Heather cried as she was carried off the track on a stretcher.

"That's it!" the male coach yelled at Allen. "If the next person doesn't make it down the track, they all fail training! It's not safe to set them loose when they can seriously injure..."

* * *

"That... was... **WICKED!**"

Jude got up from his sled and raised his arms in triumph. The male coach took a $10 Canadian bill out of his pocket and handed it to his fianc before stomping off.

"Told ya someone would make it down!"

* * *

"Apparently, you guys need more training," Allen noted.

"No amount of training will prepare us for this!" shouted Jen.

"Does she ever shut up?" Heather asked Jude as she sat up on the stretcher, as apparently she wasn't as badly hurt as previously thought.

Jude twiddled his thumbs, nervous to give a response.

"Anyway," stated Allen, "you're probably wondering what you're playing for tomorrow instead of our normal 'pick who to throw into the Elimination Challenge' session. Well, let me first start off by telling you that nobody will be going home tomorrow!"

"That's a relief," Harold sighed.

"If nobody's going home, then what's the point of risking our lives tomorrow?" debated Jen.

"As much as I hate to agree with her," Heather said reluctantly, "Chicken Girl has a point."

"I am not scared! I just don't want anyone to get hurt!"

"Sure you do..."

"If you two are finished..." cut in Allen.

Heather and Jen ended their argument. For now.

"As I was saying, although no one is at risk for going home after tomorrow's Olympic event, there's still a great prize and an imitation gold medal at stake! But most importantly, the winning team will be entrusted with a huge responsibility.

"They will be given to opportunity to change the make-up of two of the teams. That's right... the winners, if they wish, can take one person of any team they want and have them switch them with a member of the same sex of another team!"

A round of gasps could be heard coming from the competitors.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"So didn't see this coming, either!" remarked Harold. "Awesome!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Finally!" Fin said with a smile. "Something us to grab our attention away from Heather and Jen..."

"Alright-y then," Reef grinned as he rubbed his hands together. "Now's my chance! To finally get with the partner of my dreams!"

Speaking of which...

"Cody, Reef, Wyatt, Jude, or Harold," Lindsay read aloud from a small stick it-note in her left hand. "How come Tyler's not on this list?"

"If we were to win the challenge tomorrow," Cody remarked, "you don't think Jen would trade me off for a better partner. Right?"

"I'm so conflicted right now," Jen thought out loud. "Cody and I won't make it to the end of this game if we stay together. But... do I risk my life just to improve my chances of winning a VIP seat to the Opening Ceremonies?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Later that evening, not too long after the teenagers had returned to their apartments in Vancouver, there's a lot of talk regarding the latest development in the game.

Almost all of it from those who would stand to benefit from a partner swap.

"If it wasn't for me, we would've been booted out of this game already!" Jen exclaimed, expressing her feelings to Lindsay.

"But Jen, Cody's a nice guy!" defended him.

"That's the problem! He's too nice! And, more importantly, he's not all that competitive! I fear for us if someone decides to throw us into an Elimination Challenge! We'll be as good as gone if that happens... and it has to happen at some point! There can only be one winner, remember?"

"So... does Cody know about your feelings about him?"

"No... and right now, I want it to stay that way! You have to promise not to tell him that I don't want to be his partner anymore! Or tell anyone else about it!"

"But why?"

Jen grabbed Lindsay by the shoulders and shook her. "Promise me!"

Lindsay nodded. "I promise not to tell anyone!"

"Good."

Jen released Lindsay, then lowered her head and slowly walked away.

* * *

"She's, like, harshing my mellow!" Jude exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Jude was in a deep discussion with Wyatt and Reef about his own teammate, Heather.

"She kinda reminds me of that girl you dated," recalled Wyatt. "You know, the one that only agreed to be your girlfriend as long no one knew about or saw you two together?"

"I guess. She was the type of chick that always wanted things her way."

"Don't they know that the dudes are always supposed to be in charge?" interjected Reef. "That ex of yours is so not worth your time! And neither is Heather!"

"So? Even if we win the challenge tomorrow, how do I convince her that we should break up?"

"Don't! You're the man, you take charge! You tell her that it's over and that you're trading her for someone else! She doesn't get to express her opinion! She's a betty!"

"I know this is Heather we're talking about," Wyatt noted, "but can't she be reasoned with without confrontation?"

"This is Heather, Wyatt!" Jude objected. "The time for talk is over! If we win tomorrow, I'll trade her off to some other guy and get the girl I really want as my partner!"

"That-a-boy, Jude!" cheered Reef, adding a fist pump for exclamation.

"So what happens if you win, huh?" Wyatt asked. "Who will you trade Heather for?"

"You're such a buzzkill, you know that?" Reef told Wyatt.

"He's got a point, dude," Jude admitted. "Who do I pick?"

Jude actually needed to think about it for a few...

"Oh, how about that totally hot chick with the blonde hair? I mean, just look at her! She's really ho-o-ot!"

"What, no!" Reef butted in. "If I win, I'm trading for Lindsay!"

"But you didn't call her!"

"Well, I'm calling her now! Dibs!"

"Dude, double dibs!"

"Triple dibs!"

"Uh... well, whatever comes next after triple, and dibs that!"

Wyatt rolled his eyes, then got up from his seat as Jude and Reef continued to fight over who got to call dibs on Lindsay.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'd stop them," Wyatt confessed, "but it's better to let them just argue until they exhaust themselves. Besides, you'll want an athletic partner at this point of the game. And, last time I checked, that wasn't one of her best qualities."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

The next morning, after rising early and making the trek back to Whistler, the five teams are getting ready to hit the luge course for practice prior to the event in a few hours.

While the others went off to get their sleds, Cody, Reef, Lindsay, and Lo decided to make their way up to the top of the course.

"Anyone as nervous as me about this challenge?" Lo randomly asked out of the blue.

"Not me!" Reef happily exclaimed as he walked next to Lindsay. "Not me at all."

"I am," Cody admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm getting this feeling that Jen wants to trade me for someone else."

"Who cares," Reef blew Cody off before turning his attention back to Lindsay. "So... if I win today, would you be okay with me trading for you?"

"Aw, that's sweet!" cooed Lindsay.

"Really?"

"Yep! But... I'm happy with my partner right now, thanks!"

Reef's mouth nearly dropped to the snowy path as he stopped in his tracks.

"Ooh, burn!" Cody chided as he walked past the stunned Reef.

"Now I know why Fin likes watching you flirt," Lo admitted. "She's loves seeing you fail at it."

"Oh, that reminds me," Lindsay suddenly recalled. "Cody, Jen said she doesn't want you to be her partner anymore."

"She said what?" reacted Cody.

Lindsay then realized her mistake and smacked herself on the forehead.

"I know she wasn't happy," Lo thought out loud, "but I didn't think she'd actually admit it!"

"And to think, you picked her!" Reef pointed at Cody. "Man, that must have been the stupidest decision in reality series history!"

"I know, right!" Lindsay nodded in agreement.

Cody sulked as Reef laughed out loud. That was, until he was pelted in the back of the head with a snowball.

"Hey!" Reef shouted as he turned around. "Who threw that?"

Reef's answer? Another snowball, this time right in the face.

"I can't believe you made **ME** get the sled!" Fin screamed angrily, walking up the hill towards Reef and the others.

"But I had a good reason to!" Reef said as he cleared snow from his face.

"It had better not start with L and end with -indsay!"

"But he couldn't help but laugh," Lindsay cut in. "Because I just said that Jen told me that she doesn't want Cody to be her partner anymore and..."

"WHAT?"

Everyone looked at Fin, thinking that the loud outburst had come from her. But it was actually from Jen, who was with the others and were only a few steps behind Fin.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Harold said out loud.

Harold, Heather, Wyatt, and Jude quickly ran up the hill, away from Jen, whose face was getting red with anger.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"And here comes the yelling," Wyatt stated, before putting on a pair of headphones.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Jen stomped up the hill to confront Lindsay.

"**LINDSAY! YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T TELL!**"

"I'm sorry, Jen! It just... slipped!"

"**HOW CAN IT JUST SLIP? YOU PROMISED ME YOU'D KEEP OUR CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT A SECRET! AND YOU JUST RANDOMLY BLURT IT OUT WHILE WALKING UP HERE?**"

"Ummm..."

"**I NEVER THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE WORSE AT KEEPING SECRETS THAN CAITLIN, BUT I GUESS I WAS WRONG!**"

"Hey! The last time someone told me to keep a secret, I could only do it for 30 minutes! Heh... you should be lucky I kept it for a whole night! I can't remember the last time I did that!"

"She's so not helping her case," Fin observed.

"Definitely not," added Lo.

Jen looked as if she was about to reach over and tackle Lindsay, but Wyatt and Jude stepped in, grabbing their friend by the arms and holding her back.

"Hold on there, bra!" Jude said to Jen. "It's not worth it!"

"Besides," Wyatt added, "you shouldn't be the one being angry. You should be on the receiving end!"

"What are you talking about?"

Jen was directing her question to Wyatt, but her gaze ended up setting upon Cody instead. And he was not pleased.

"Cody... uh, I was going to tell you eventually."

Cody bent down to pick up a sled from the ground, and then he walked over towards Jen.

Or, rather, past her.

"Let's just win this so we can get it over with."

Jen had no response as Cody heading for the starting area, and the others followed him, most displaying various looks of anger and dismay on their faces. Even Jude and Wyatt walked off, after letting go of Jen being convinced all of her anger had subsided.

No one was left to console Jen.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"What have I done?" Jen cried as she buried her face in her hands.

"Stick a fork in her, she's done!" Heather stated stoically.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Soon afterwards, practice runs got underway. But between recent events and the treacherous course, there were still very few of the competitors making it to the finish line without crashing. Because of that, there were several prolonged breaks into between runs as officials continually checked the track for rough spots.

During this point, the Blue-Orange alliance decided to meet.

"I guess we should try to figure out who to trade Cody with," Harold suggested.

"But should we stick him with someone who will help him?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm not sure," answered Lo. "Something tells me his heart's no longer in this game. It doesn't matter if he gets traded or not. He's got no one he can really trust, you know?"

"Jen should've told Cody upfront instead of telling me," said Lindsay.

"Yeah," Wyatt agreed. "But you guys don't know Jen like I do. She's ultra-competitive. Add the fact that she dreams of being an Olympian one day, and you can see why's so determined to win this."

"So if you know her so well, what should we do with Jen?" Harold asked.

"I say stick her with Jude. If anyone can calm her down, it's him."

"But that would mean sticking Cody with Heather!" deduced Lo.

"You did kinda suggest he wouldn't care at this point," argued Harold.

"Besides, if it puts Heather at a bigger disadvantage, then I'm for it!" Lindsay exclaimed in agreement.

"Okay then, it's settled," Wyatt confirmed. "If either of us win, we're swapping Cody and Jude."

"But one thing, guys..." Lindsay suddenly objected.

"What?" the other three asked.

"Well... has any of us actually made it down the track once yet?"

The four of them looked at each other for awhile, eventually realized that Lindsay was right, and they headed for the starting line to get in some more practice.

* * *

After practice and lunch, it was time for the challenge. Allen was waiting with an empty tissue box in hand as the competitors walked up to him at the bottom of the hill, near the finish line.

"Good afternoon, challengers!" greeted the host. "Ready for some high-speed thrills?"

"Let's do this!" Reef shouted with excitement.

"You all understand the rules, right? There are three runs total: one girls only, one boys only, and one tandem. The team with the best total time after all three runs wins the challenge."

The competitors nodded, but as they did, Allen noticed that instead of five teams being present, only four were.

"Okay... where are Cody and Jen?"

"We haven't seen either of them since before lunch," Wyatt recalled. "In fact, I don't think either of them were at lunch!"

"Shouldn't we wait for them?" Lindsay asked.

"I'd like to," replied Allen. "But we've gotten reports of the weather preparing to make a turn for the worst. We're going to try and squeeze this challenge in before that happens."

"I'm gonna go find them," Wyatt said as he ran off. "Go on without me!"

"We intend to," Allen said without worry as he walked over to Heather. "Okay, you're drawing first!"

* * *

As the teams present drew for running order, Wyatt learned he didn't have to run far to find Jen, who seemed to be panicked.

"What are you doing, Jen?" Wyatt asked as he ran up to her. "The challenge is about to start! We're drawing for running order right now!"

"I know... but I can't find Cody anywhere!"

"What?"

* * *

"Did you say what I think you just said?"

"Yes! I can't find Cody anywhere!"

"What do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know! What if something horrible's happened? I'd never be able to forgive myself if he wandered off and got hurt somewhere!"

"That would never happen out here."

"Did you see the look on his face? I know he's angry at me! Or worse, he could be depressed! Who knows what he's capable of doing to himself in his condition!"

"What am I, emo all of a sudden?" Cody asked as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Cody, you're alive!" Jen rejoiced as she ran over and wrapped her arms around him.

"Where have you been?" Wyatt wondered.

"I needed some time to think after learning about Jen's disappointment in me."

"I knew I should've told you upfront about it, but..." Jen started to say before realizing that there wasn't a hint of anger at all in Cody's voice. "Wait, you're not upset?"

"I was at first, but during the numerous crashes of mine in practice this morning, I got to thinking... I just haven't been performing in these challenges as well as I should be. I've been letting you down, and I feel I should apologize for that."

"Oh, no! If anyone should apologize, it should be me. I've just been so focused on living in the moment, you know? It's always been my dream to be an Olympic athlete, and for all I know, this might end up being the closest I ever get to fulfilling that dream! I kept seeing you as an obstacle in my way, when I should've seen you as a teammate who has every right to be here as I do! And I probably wouldn't have been displeased with you as a teammate if I had taken more time to work with you."

"You really mean that, Jen?"

"I do! And, I don't know how I can make up for the past few days, but I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to trade me for a new partner. In fact, if that's what you want, I'll help you do whatever it takes to win this challenge!"

Cody needed a few seconds to think about Jen's proposal before giving an answer.

"Let's do this... partner!" responded a determined Cody, with fists clenched.

* * *

Wyatt, Jen, and Cody arrived back at the bottom of the track, where they saw Harold and Jude watching the action on the big screen, while Fin was apparently getting a check-up from the medical staff.

"Oh my gosh, Fin!" Jen cried out. "What happened to you?"

"Lost it comin' out of 15," answered Fin, as a medic fiddled with her right arm. "Just going so fast at the bottom, it's hard to stay in control."

"You'd think we'd all be used to the speed by now," Cody noted.

"I don't think even half us have even made it through the entire course once!" observed Wyatt.

"That doesn't make me feel any better about this track," gulped Jen.

"Oh," Fin cut in, "you lucked out. You and Cody ended up with the last spot. Jen, you might be able to make it up to the starting line in time if you hustle."

Before Jen could scoot off to the top, though, a high-pitched scream filled the air.

"**EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**"

"Lindsay!" Harold shouted, hands on his head as he saw his teammate wipe out only about halfway down the course.

"Dude, this course is a killer, man!" commented Jude.

"I really don't want to do this," Jen said aloud, "but I made a promise to Cody! We're going to do whatever it takes to win this challenge!"

"Atta girl!" Cody cheered as he handed Jen their sled. "Go for it!"

As Jen ran off to the top of the course, Fin received a clean bill of health from the medical staff.

"Wow," Fin said, impressed. "So I take it you two cleared things up?"

"You could say that," answered Cody.

* * *

By the time Jen had reached the starting line, Heather had gone and also, unsurprisingly, crashed out. Lo had her sled down on the icy surface, but she was not on it yet. She stood next to it, with her visor up, having not yet gotten the 'track all clear' signal. Other than her, only Reef and the host, Allen, were at the top.

"Look who finally decided to show up," commented Allen.

"I'm sorry," Jen gasped as she caught her breath.

"Luckily, with all the crashes, you haven't missed your turn yet."

"Can we just get this over with?" squeaked Lo, who was getting more anxious with every passing minute. "All this waiting makes me more not want to do this!"

"What are you talking about?" wondered Reef. "This is fun!"

"Seeing people crash is your idea of fun?" questioned Jen.

Suddenly, a walkie talkie that Jen had just noticed in Allen's right hand came alive with chatter. It was the 'track all clear' signal.

"Okay, Lo, you're up!"

Lo sat down on her sled, took one final look down the track, and gulped.

"I'm going to die now. I'm going to totally die now!"

Lo pushed her visor down, took a hold of the track grips on either side of her, and then launched herself onto the course.

Jen and Reef watched the monitor at the starting line as Lo made her way down the track. They watched as her sled got through turn after turn, picking up speed as the downwards incline increased. But coming out of the banking of Turn 11, Lo started to lose control. She tried to correct it as she sped into Turn 12, but she overcompensated and leaned too far inside. As a result, she was bumped off her sled at the turn's exit, and she rolled a few feet as the sled continued on without her.

"Man, she got worked!" Reef commented.

* * *

"So, it's the track four, girls zippo!" Allen tallied as Jen sat down in her sled with Reef, Harold, and Jude now watching. "Can this icy demon make it a complete sweep?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Jen shouted, lowering her visor and getting into launch position.

Having been given the 'all clear,' Jen launched herself onto the track, using her hands to push along the ice for a few feet before lying down and letting the course guide her towards Turn 3.

Before she knew it, Jen was starting to fly down the track at high speeds, but she kept her concentration as she played out the course in her head. Through Turn 11. 12. 13 and 14. 15.

And then, at last, Turn 16, at which point she was traveling over 135 km/h. She kept her form and... made it through unscathed! She crossed the finish line and, as the track started to incline upwards slightly, she sat up and pulled the front of the sled up to slow it down.

"She made it!" exclaimed Cody.

"She really did it?" Fin asked to make sure. "Incredible!"

Once the sled came to a complete stop, Jen stood up and pumped her fist into the air.

"Yes! I knew I could do it!"

"Way to go, Jen!" Cody smiled as he came over and high-fived Jen.

"With Jen being the first and only girl to make it to the finish line," narrated Allen. "The Gold Team takes the early lead with Jen's time of 50.344 seconds. Because none of the other four teams got to the finish, they will each receive a time of 1 minute, 20.344 seconds."

* * *

The amount of clouds in the sky started to increase and the sky itself was darkening. Given that and the number of crashes in the first run, the second run commenced without a break to check track conditions.

Once it was confirmed Jen and her sled were off the track, Allen gave Reef the go-ahead to take off.

"Here we go!" Reef exclaimed.

Following in Jen's trail, Reef turned serious as he kept his focus and concentration throughout the heavily technical and high-speed course. That held true as his sled screamed through the final few turns.

Eventually, the track spat out Reef and his sled, and he was still sitting on the latter as he crossed the finish line with a time of 50.297 seconds.

"Now **THAT'S** how it's done!" Reef exclaimed after taking off his helmet.

* * *

Harold was seen taking to the course next...

"Following Reef's successful lead-off to the second run," narrated Allen, "Harold hung on for dear life, but managed to complete the course in a time of 50.509..."

"I can't believe it..." Harold commented afterwards, "I actually made it all the way through! And it was so exhilarating!"

He would then be followed by Jude...

"Jude would make it 3-for-3 as he got through with a time of 50.360."

"Nice!" Jude said, giving a thumbs up to the camera as he left the finish line area.

Wyatt was next, but the results for him weren't so nice...

"But the track would strike back, as Wyatt would crash out while exiting Turn 12, the exact same place where his teammate, Lo, had crashed just minutes earlier..."

"We're going to need a lot of help to win this one," Wyatt stated as the medical staff checked him out after his crash.

* * *

Cody was the last to go for Run 2, and he was seen taking off from the starting line as the Red and Blue teams watched the launch with Allen.

Cody hung on for dear life as he made his way down the track. By the time he was coming out of Turn 8, it was clear from those watching that he was already struggling to keep his sled under control. Still, he continued to hold on 'til Turn 10. Then 11. And even 12, 13, and 14.

But his exit to 14 was well wide, and it bumped the wall so much that it refused to turn into 15, resulting in Cody being thrown off his sled. He rolled off and right into the opposing wall, helmet first, while his sled flipped once in mid-air before crashing down back on the track.

Track officials quickly jumped over the railing separating a nearby set of spectator seats from the track to come to Cody's aid, even as he slowly sat up.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Jen asked as the medics brought Cody off the track to be formally checked for injuries.

"Man, that was a nasty spill, wasn't it?" Cody said in reply, his good feelings obviously still intact.

Jen stayed by her teammate's side as he waited to see if he was hurt, and if he was, would he be cleared to continue to compete.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"When I rolled off my luge, the first thing that landed was my right shoulder," recalled Cody as the crash was replayed. "After being examined, the doctors didn't think there were any broken bones. But they suggested that I be taken to the hospital to get X-rays just to be on the safe side."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

But Cody didn't seem satisfied with taking that option.

"Isn't there another way?" he asked.

"Well, we could give you painkillers to numb the pain," the head medic told him, "but you could risk further injury if your bones are fractured or broken in any way."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take!"

"But as your teammate," Jen butted in, "I have to agree with the doctors. This is dangerous enough as it is... I won't sign on to you risking your life for some stupid competition!"

"You'd really take yourself out of this challenge... just for me?"

"What can I say," Jen shrugged her shoulders. "That's what partners do for each other."

* * *

Back at the top of the course, all four teams anxiously awaited to hear about Cody's condition, while at the same time, were preparing for the third and final run of the challenge.

Finally, Allen was ready to give them an answer.

"We just got word that Cody will be okay," he told them, to the relief of most of the others, "but for his own safety, he will be taken to the hospital for further examination. Therefore, the Gold Team has withdrawn from this challenge, since the third and final run is a two-person luge run, and Jen is unable to compete without a partner."

"Does that mean that they're out of the competition?" Lo asked.

* * *

At that exact moment, Cody was seen being helped into an ambulance by paramedics. Jen watched sadly as the doors were closed and the ambulance pulled away from the scene.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm really starting to wonder if it's worth continuing on," Jen said with worry. "If Cody's injuries are so bad he can't compete anymore, do I really deserve to soldier on without him?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Jen continued to watch as the ambulance disappeared from sight, while behind her, the challenge was ready to reach its high-speed finale!

To be continued...

* * *

(Next time on 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"Rain, rain, go away, go bother some other reality show," sang Harold.

(Darkness settles upon the five remaining teams...)

"What do I do, what do I do?" Jen said aloud as she paced the room.

"I honestly hope Cody really does quit so Jen has to leave with him," relayed Heather to her sad teammate.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The last challenge really changed the alliances of this game!" Wyatt stated matter-of-factly.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(But that doesn't mean everyone is unhappy...)

"So, what do you think they're doing in there?" Wyatt asked.

"Probably makin' out," Lo deduced. "Wanna go see? I wanna go see!"

(And when the rain finally subsides, it's time to have some fun...)

"Now I know why Jen loves this so much!" exclaimed Jude as he unlatched his feet from the snowboard. "That rocked!"

"Okay, I am so dominating this event!" announced Fin.

"No, you're not, I am!" Reef stated in retaliation.

The two then pushed each other over at the same time, both with arms flailing in the air as they fell backwards onto the snow, butt-first.

(Still, one team does have to go home eventually...)

"The finish, it's too close to call!" Allen announced excitedly.

"That was a comeback for the ages!" '?' remarked.

(Find out what happens on the next 'Fresh from Canada,' coming soon!)


	7. Episode Six

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Six  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"I can't believe you'd keep an alliance from me!"

Fin wasn't visibly happy about Lo getting into alliance without her...

"Look, Harold and Lindsay. I'm sure you two are nice people, but the truth is that I don't know you that well. Lo, neither do you! I'm not sure of how trustworthy they are!"

"They haven't steered me wrong yet," Lo said in response.

"I concur," agreed Harold. "Yes, there will only be one winner in the end, but nobody says you have to get there without any help."

Speaking of friends forming alliances without Fin knowing...

"Alright," Jen nodded in agreement. "This one time, we'll agree to vote them in."

"We just wanna get rid of Heather," Cody added.

"Deal!" Reef exclaimed, shaking hands with his team's new partners.

But the problems weren't just between teams, they were within them as well...

"So... does Cody know about your feelings about him?"

"No... and right now, I want it to stay that way! You have to promise not to tell him that I don't want to be his partner anymore! Or tell anyone else about it!"

"**LINDSAY! YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T TELL!**"

"I'm sorry, Jen! It just... slipped!"

Cody bent down to pick up a sled from the ground, and then he walked over towards Jen.

Or, rather, past her.

"Let's just win this so we can get it over with."

But patching up partnerships takes more than some small talk...

"Are you okay?" Jen asked as the medics brought Cody off the track to be formally checked for injuries.

"Man, that was a nasty spill, wasn't it?" Cody said in reply, his good feelings obviously still intact.

Oh, and wasn't there a challenge the competitors were in...

"I can't believe it..." Harold commented afterwards, "I actually made it all the way through! And it was so exhilarating!"

Is this the end for Jen and Cody in the competition? Will the team that wins the luge competition decide to mix up two of the teams? If so, how will affect the competitors' next Olympic challenge? The answers are coming up tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Whistler Sliding Centre

Jen watched as the ambulance carrying her teammate, Cody, to the hospital, disappeared from sight. She stood there for awhile, as she blamed herself for what had happened to him on the course.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm really starting to wonder if it's worth continuing on," Jen said with worry. "If Cody's injuries are so bad he can't compete anymore, do I really deserve to soldier on without him?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Back at the top of the course, the other four teams had just been informed that Cody and Jen would be unable to complete the day's challenge. But a few were curious about the immediate future...

"Does that mean that they're out of the competition?" Lo asked.

"As of this moment," replied Allen they're still in the overall competition. That's all you need to know for now."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Man, I can only imagine how Jen feels right now," sighed Wyatt. "I hope she's not devastated by this."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"With that being said, it's time for the third and final run. Red Team... you're up first."

* * *

And with that, it was back to the challenge...

Reef and Fin tried to put together their strategy as they stood next to their sled at the starting line, even as the thought of Cody taking a trip to the hospital ran through their minds.

"As the Red Team prepares for their third and final run," Allen narrated once more, "they currently lead with a total time of 2 minutes and 10.641 seconds. Both the Orange and Blue Teams are right behind, with a difference of just 21 one-hundredths of a second separating first from third. The Brown Team is half a minute back, as Lo and Wyatt are 0-for-2 in completed runs."

Fin took a deep breath to calm her nerves. After doing so, she turned to Reef.

"Okay... ready?"

"You know it, sister! Let's show this speed demon who's the man! And... uh... woman."

"If we make it to the bottom in one piece, I'll be happy..."

Both of them put their helmets on and Reef sat down on the sled. Fin sat down in front of her partner, as she grabbed the track grips and prepared for launch.

"On my count! One! Two! Three!"

On three, Fin pushed off from the grips and the two took off from the gate. Both of them pushed off the ground with their hands for a few feet to get some speed before Reef had to lie down on the sled and Fin had to lie down on him, just as they headed into the first few turns.

The remaining three teams watched on the monitors as the Red Team made their way through the course. They seemed to be doing pretty well on the upper half, but they started to struggle as they barreled through Turns 12 and 13. Reef did his best to hold the line as they hit the final left-hander in 14 and immediately were tossed into the sharp 15th turn, where Fin had crashed on her individual run.

With Reef in control of the sled, though, they made it to Turn 16, and he guided them safely off the banking and across the finish line. The duo slowed themselves to a stop and were ecstatic about their performance.

"We... we actually made it!" a slightly stunned Fin exclaimed.

"Yahoo!" Reef shouted. "We just showed all of them who's the team to beat! Isn't that right?"

"No doubt!"

Fin smiled as she high-fived her teammate.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Fin said in disbelief, "but I think Reef and I are an incredible team! If we keep performing like this, nobody's gonna be able to beat us!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Back at the top, Harold and Lindsay were already on their sled and ready to go.

"Remember, the final five are left, right, left, right, right."

Lindsay gave Harold a thumbs up, then grabbed a hold of the track grips.

"Okay, so... one... two... three!"

Lindsay pushed forward, and she and Harold took off from the starting line.

"Down!" Harold yelled as he lied down on the sled.

She quickly complied... though too quickly, as she slammed herself down so hard that the upper part of her back impacted with Harold's chest, temporarily knocking the air out of him. Lindsay had no idea what she had just done... until the left side of their sled hit the wall coming out of Turn 4 and it slightly came off the ground.

"Harold, watch it! Uh... Harold?"

Quickly through 5, and then the sweeping left-hander of Turn 6, and that would be it. The sled was too high up the banking, and the right side lost touch with it. Lindsay, Harold, and their sled, slid on their left side all the way to the inside wall of the turn.

* * *

Back at the top...

"Dude!" Jude remarked. "Sick wipeout!"

"I expected nothing less from such losers," harshly commented Heather.

* * *

Several minutes later, while being checked for cuts, bumps, and bruises, and with Harold wearing an oxygen mask...

"I'm so, so, so, so sorry!" apologized Lindsay as she sat on a bench next to her teammate.

"It's... wheeze..." coughed Harold in response.

* * *

Only two teams were left. Up next was the Orange Team...

"Are you ready?" Jude asked as he placed the sled down on the track.

"Just make sure I survive the ride, or else!" Heather told him before putting her helmet on and taking a seat on the sled.

Jude was about to yell at her, but Wyatt tapped him on the shoulder and pulled him aside for a second.

"Just win the challenge, and then you can pass off Heather to someone else!"

Jude nodded.

"Just... anybody but me, okay?"

"Got it, bro!" Jude assured him.

Wyatt stepped back to his teammate, Lo, while Jude put his helmet on and took his spot on the sled. Heather took a hold of the track grips and glanced back once at Jude to make sure he was ready.

Seconds later, they were away...

* * *

"Heard the news..."

Jen turned her head to side and saw Fin walk up next to her.

"So... Cody's going to be okay?"

Jen solemnly nodded. "They don't think he has any broken bones, but they want to do X-rays just to be sure."

"How about you?"

"Huh?"

"Are you going to be okay? I mean, you seem to be taking this really hard."

"You probably would be too if you were in my shoes the last few hours!"

"I guess so..."

* * *

Back on the luge track...

The sled carrying Jude and Heather had just exited Turn 11 and was about to enter Turn 12. Their sled seemed to shake as it continued to pick up speed, but Jude kept control as they got through 12, then 13, 14, and 15. The sled then slid up high as it rode the banking in the final turn...

But Jude successfully kept the sled upright, and the pair crossed the finish line in one piece.

After coming to a stop...

"I can't wait to find out the results!" Heather said with a smile. "I think we did really well."

* * *

That only left the team of Wyatt and Lo...

"We're just gonna have fun with this and see what happens," Wyatt said aloud.

Lo was already waiting on the sled as Wyatt sat down behind her.

"Here's hoping to seeing you at the bottom, still on this baby!" Lo shouted into the camera.

With that, they were off...

* * *

A few minutes later...

"I'm convinced... that the luge is the most dangerous Olympic sport ever concocted."

Wyatt was holding an ice pack on his right elbow, as Harold sat to his left, still with an oxygen mask over his mouth. Lo was to his right, and not only was her hair a mess, but she was complaining about pain in her right wrist as a medic examined it.

"Forget 13!" an exasperated Lo declared. "12 has just become my new unluckiest number!"

Sure enough, twenty feet away, Jude and Lindsay were watching a replay of the Brown Team's run... and, as it had been the previous two times, they had crashed out after an off-line exit from Turn 12.

"Jen was right!" Lindsay said to Jude. "This was dangerous!"

* * *

To be on the safe side, both Harold and Lo were taken to the hospital for check-ups. Which meant that although ten competitors came to compete in the challenge, only seven were going to be leaving under their own power.

"Lots of attrition this time around," Allen admitted. "Maybe there are some Olympic events we should keep amateurs away from."

Everyone turned to Jen, expecting an 'I told you so' response. But her mind was still on her teammate's health.

"Let's cut to the chase! It's time to announce the winner of the challenge!"

Allen held up a new pair of imitation gold medals for them to see.

"Given that there's a 30-second penalty for every incomplete run, it comes down to the teams with the least penalties. Therefore, the winners of the challenge are, with a time of 3 minutes and 0.955 seconds, is..."

Allen paused for dramatic effect...

"The Brown Team!"

"Sweet!" shouted a jubilant Jude.

Heather smirked as she looked back at the other competitors. She followed Jude over to Allen's side.

"39 thousandths of a second, Red Team," Allen glanced in Fin and Reef's direction. "That's how much they beat you guys by."

"That makes it even worse," growled Fin. "That we were that close."

Allen then turned to Jude and Heather.

"As the winners of this challenge, you will each receive an Acer Aspire 1810T-8968 Olympic Edition Laptop, powered by Windows 7. You two also now have an important decision to make... you must decide whether or not to have two members swap teams, and if the answer is yes, who is swapping.

"You've got one minute to discuss it with each other."

Jude and Heather huddled to figure out their options.

"So here's my suggestion..." began Heather.

"You know what, Heather?" Jude cut off. "I'm sure it's a good one, but I'd like to make one first."

Heather raised an eyebrow with disdain, but curiosity got the better of her.

"Fine... what is it?"

"I want to trade you... for Lindsay."

Heather laughed so loud that everyone heard her, and a look of confusion spread among them. And maybe fear...

"That sounds like one of those evil laughs," Wyatt commented. "I don't think that's a good thing it's coming from Heather."

After a few seconds, Heather had finally gotten it out of her system as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"You have a problem with my pick?"

"I thought you wanted to win! Lindsay's got no brains, and she's not exactly a physical threat either."

"But that's who I want!"

"Come on! If you pick Lindsay, I'll be stuck with Harold! And then we're both screwed!"

"But she's the only girl I want as a partner!"

"Look, listen to my suggestion! If you don't like it, then feel free to pick Lindsay. But I'm telling you... it's the worst decision you'll ever make in your entire life!"

Jude gave in. "Fine! Let it on me, bra..."

Heather whispered her suggestion into Jude's ear. After letting her make her case, Jude seemed to have a change of heart.

"Now that I think about it, she's perfect!"

"I knew you'd like it! Now... time to make history!"

The duo broke the huddle, and stood poised to make their announcement.

"Okay, guys," Allen said to them, "what have you decided?"

"After a chat with my partner here," explained Jude. "We decided that it's time we part ways."

A collective gasp could be heard from the group.

"And that's why I'm trading away Heather for..."

The others held their collective breaths, waiting to see which teams were about to be shaken up...

* * *

Following the win in the luge event, Jude and Heather had earned the right to rearrange any two teams left in the game. After a bit of discussion, the duo had come to their decision...

"We decided that it's time we part ways," announced Jude, to the gasp of the others. "And that's why I'm trading away Heather for..."

The other five present competitors waited to see whom Jude would select...

"Fin."

"Fin?" Reef repeated in shock.

"Me?" Fin pointed to herself. "You want me?"

"That's right, bra! I want to pick the person I think gives me the best chance to get to the end. And that's you."

"Whoa! You're not what I consider a dream partner... but I do like your strange logic."

"You mean you're actually okay with this?" Reef asked Fin.

Fin nodded in response.

"But what about me?"

"I guess we're teammates now, partner..." Heather said with a smile, squeezing in between Reef and Fin.

"Wait, don't I get a say in this?"

Jude shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, dude... but good luck, bro!"

Fin walked over to Jude and took her place beside her.

"Let's make this official..."

Allen produced a white gift box out of nowhere and opened it up. Inside were two new scarves, a red one and an orange one. The girls stepped forward, with Heather taking the red one, leaving Fin with the orange one.

"That means Reef and Heather are now the Red Team, making Jude and Fin the Orange Team," Allen said to the others. "How will these new teams shake up the game? We'll find out at the next challenge, won't we? Until then... good night all!"

The seven teens walked away from Allen, heading back to the vans to return back to Vancouver.

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

It was no coincidence that rain was falling from the sky upon the competitors' return to their apartments. Especially given that three of their own were not present with them.

"Man, talk about a downer," vocalized Wyatt. "My teammate's in the hospital, and so is Jen's and Lindsay's. Given that, I don't blame you for wanting to trade for Fin."

"Fin wasn't my first choice," admitted Jude. "But Heather convinced me that picking Lindsay wasn't the smartest pick. Or the safest."

"Heather convinced you, huh? I should've figured..."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The last challenge really changed the alliances of this game!" Wyatt stated matter-of-factly. "At least I think they did... at the very least, Heather probably just lost the only person willing to be her teammate. I can only imagine how Reef is reacting..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"That reminds me," Wyatt wondered out loud. "Where is Reef anyway?"

* * *

"I know being paired with Heather probably feels like the worst thing in the world," prefaced Fin, "but... don't you think you're overreacting much?"

Reef was curled up in a ball on the couch in Fin's apartment.

"I'm not going to let her get to me. I'm not going to let her get to me," he started to mutter continuously.

"Ugh! She's no different than Kelly!"

"Why do you think I've never spent a day with Kelly, huh? This is why!"

"Look... can't you see that we can use this to our advantage? The numbers are starting to come down... it won't be long until it's everyone for themselves! If you can keep Heather from wanting to vote Jude and I off until then, we'll be in the clear!"

"You really want to take the chance of her still being in the game at that point?"

Fin nodded. "Everyone wants to see her gone, so all it'll take is her not winning an individual challenge and poof... she's gone! As if she could constantly win immunity to save herself several times in a row."

* * *

Meanwhile...

"The best thing about now having Reef as a teammate..." Heather said to herself while she sat on her bed, "is that he can help me personally put his friends Lo and Fin in the next Elimination Challenge! And if he refuses... well, let's just say I haven't pulled out even half of my arsenal of tricks yet! Mwa ha ha ha!"

* * *

Late the next morning, the rainstorm had turned into a torrential downpour as a cab pulled away from the curb. Three figures could be seen trying to squeeze under a lone umbrella as they made their way back to their apartment building, one of them holding a small shopping bag in hand.

The umbrella ended up not helping them much, as all three of them were soaked from the knees down as they stepped into the lobby.

"I never knew we could get so much rain in January!" complained Lo as she shook the water off her shoes. "I'm so wet right now!"

"At least you were in the center," remarked Cody, who was holding the umbrella and also had his right arm and shoulder dripping in water.

"Why can't it be sunny? No wonder winter's my least favorite holiday."

"Rain, rain, go away, go bother some other reality show," sang Harold as he shook the water off of his left sleeve and arm.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The good news is that not only do none of us have broken bones," explained Cody, "but we were all medically cleared to continue to compete. Lo and I both were given a few painkillers, and Harold just had the wind knocked out of him."

"Lindsay is more hard-headed than I thought," commented Harold. "Who knew she could take my breath away with a backwards headbutt to the chest?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Minutes later, the trio was being welcomed back by the others.

"I was so worried about you!" exclaimed Jen as she wrapped her arms around Cody. "I don't know what I would've done if you had been seriously hurt!"

"You worry too much," Cody replied. "I've definitely been injured worse."

"Harold!" Lindsay cried out. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Lindsay hugged Harold so hard that she nearly knocked the wind out of him... again.

"Help..." he creaked.

Lindsay released her grip on her teammate, allowing some much needed oxygen to flow back into him.

"I'm glad you're not hurt," Wyatt said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Me too," agreed Lo. "At least a little shopping this morning made everything better!"

"When did you..."

"Hospital gift shop... oh, and this reminded me of you so much, I just had to get it for you!"

Lo pulled out an item from her shopping bag. It was a miniature teddy bear in doctor's clothes.

"Uh... thanks?"

She then pulled out a second one, and started rubbing her face against it. Wyatt was a little confused.

"Oh, this? Sorry, but I had to buy one for myself! It reminds me of the cute doctor that checked me out!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I don't know whether to be flattered or freaked out!" stated a befuddled Wyatt.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"You're actually wearing that indoors?" Lo asked Fin, who was wearing her new scarf.

"It was a little chilly this morning."

"Wait!" Harold noticed. "Why are you wearing an orange scarf?"

"Because Fin is my new teammate," Jude said aloud.

"No way!" exclaimed Lo.

"Yes way," Fin said in return. "And we talked some last night... Jude and I have so much in common!"

"But if you two are together, then..."

"I don't want to talk about it," muttered Reef, still curled up on the couch.

"You were here all night?" Lindsay gasped. "I walked to the fridge this morning without a towel on!"

Everyone looked at Lindsay in shock.

"How did I not notice that?" Fin wondered out loud. "You're **MY** roommate!"

"How did I **NOT** wake up for that?" Reef screamed. "Why must life be so unfair?"

"Oh, put in a sock in it," Heather said to him. "You're never gonna score with her anyway. Besides... some of us have more important things to worry about besides crippled competition and your libido."

"Such as what?" Fin asked. "A challenge? In this weather?"

Suddenly, the sound of four iPhones ringing filled the air simultaneously. Reaching for their pockets, Jen, Fin, and Wyatt answered them. Reef just let his continue to go off on the table.

"No challenge today," Wyatt read aloud. "Slopes thoroughly soaked. Have a fun day off! Allen."

"See?" Fin smirked slyly at Heather.

"Okay then... I guess we'll just try to figure out who will be the next team we send out."

"We?" Reef sat up. "What do you mean..."

Heather grabbed Reef by the arm and started to drag him to the door.

"I thought a lot about what you said yesterday again," Cody said to Jen. "And... maybe you're right after all. Maybe I should quit."

"But..." Jen started to respond, before hearing a body hit the floor.

Jen turned around and saw that Heather had let go of Reef, who was now lying face down on the floor, and had turned her attention to Cody and Jen.

"Excuse me, this is a private conversation!"

"Really, Jen... this is a reality show. Nothing is private."

"Whatever... come on, Cody..."

Jen walked out the door, with Cody following behind her. Heather turned around, having felt the sensation of a few pairs of angry eyes glaring at her back.

"Just because I'm openly admitting that I'm hoping Cody quits doesn't mean I'm the only one thinking it!"

Heather then grabbed Reef again and marched out of the room.

* * *

Having found a place to talk privately, Cody and Jen resumed their talk.

"Why this change of heart?" Jen asked. "If anything, I should be the one quitting because of the way I treated our partnership!"

"It's not that," replied Cody. "It's just... what's the point if I can't compete at 100 percent?"

"But didn't the doctors give you a clean bill of health?"

"Physically, yes. But, to be honest with you... I'm not really sure my heart's in this competition anymore."

"Look... maybe it's just the stress of the competition getting to you. Since the challenge got called off, why don't you take the day to think about it?"

"Maybe I should... this is a pretty important decision."

* * *

A little later...

"What do I do, what do I do?" Jen said aloud as she paced the room.

Heather could hear Jen's voice from where she was, standing in front of the balcony sliding door. Reef was now curled up in a ball on her couch, still not having accepted his new teammate.

"I honestly hope Cody really does quit so Jen has to leave with him," relayed Heather to her sad teammate. "It would make this game so much easier."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"With Heather's obsession with wanting to see Cody quit," noted Fin, "is it wrong for me to wish she gets hurt so that makes her think about quitting? And don't you dare tell me I'm the only thinking that!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

"Dude, you don't seriously..."

"I don't know, man! I really don't know!"

A few hours had passed since Harold, Cody, and Lo had rejoined the group. But Lo's actions had sent off some mixed signals to his brain, and he was trying to get Jude to help him decipher them.

"As much as I'd like to help," Jude told Wyatt, "Jonesy and Reef probably know more about that stuff."

"Well, Jonesy's not here, and Reef's so lost in disbelief that he's not going to be of any help. And given the only other option is Harold... well..."

"Hmmmm... well, let me ask you this. How do **YOU** feel?"

"I told you, I don't know! I mean, she's sweet and all..."

"Maybe you should just go up to her and ask her! Find out for..."

"I can't do that! What if I'm wrong? And remember, I've been through this before already!"

"You... have?"

Without warning, Lo suddenly burst into the apartment, startling Wyatt and Jude.

"You!" she exclaimed, pointing directly at Wyatt.

"Ulp... me?"

"I need you... now!"

She grabbed Wyatt by the arm and pulled him out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. A stunned Jude could only come up with a one-word response.

"Whoa..."

* * *

Lo pulled Wyatt to the door leading into her apartment.

"Don't you think we're moving a little too fast?" Wyatt asked.

"Shhh!" shushed Lo, before placing her ear against the door.

"I mean, we barely know each other and what are you doing?"

"I was going to go in and ask Harold and Lindsay what our next move was going to be, but then I heard some strange noises coming from inside!"

"Strange? Like what?"

Lo didn't answer him, as her attention was focused on trying to hear through the door. Wyatt sighed as he squatted down next to Lo and pressed his own ear against the door.

"...so... breath right now."

"Awww! Let me... it and make... better..."

"I can only make out every third word or so," commented Lo.

They leaned in to try and hear some more. After a few failed attempts, they suddenly heard Lindsay's voice clearly again...

"...right there! Yes, right there! **EEEEEK!**"

That was quickly followed by a slapping sound.

"So, what do you think they're doing in there?" Wyatt asked.

"Probably makin' out," Lo deduced. "Wanna go see? I wanna go see!"

Lo reached for the doorknob, but Wyatt grabbed her hand to stop her. But he couldn't stop her, and upon turning the knob all the way, the two promptly fell into the apartment, landing on their right shoulders and facing right into Lindsay's bedroom, because the door was wide open.

Lindsay was sitting on her bed, with her arms holding her legs off of the ground, while Harold was on all fours with one of his shoes in his right hand, planted firmly on the floor.

"Umm... did we interrupt something important?" asked Lo.

* * *

"Really? I mean, really?"

"I thought they were really making out!"

Lo and Wyatt were getting an earful from Fin, Lindsay, and Harold.

"Gah!" exclaimed Harold. "I can't believe this happened again!"

"Yeah," Fin added, looking at Lo. "Especially since you were there when Reef did the exact same thing!"

"Come on... you would've done the same thing if you were in my position, Fin!"

"Unbelievable..."

* * *

Things settled down for the rest of the day and the night. It wasn't until the following morning at breakfast that Wyatt, sitting down with Jude and Reef, who had finally accepted being teammates with Heather, that Wyatt began to grasp what had happened.

"So you think Lo is crazy in love with you?" Reef laughed. "That's rich, dude!"

"I can't think of any other way to describe yesterday!" Wyatt said in defense. "At least logically, anyway."

"She seriously sounded like she has the hots for him," Jude nodded.

"I guess I can't put it off any longer," Wyatt sighed, getting up from his seat. "I'd better find out for sure before misconceptions and rumors start flying about."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Wyatt went to get it, and was a little surprised to find Lo waiting on the other side, and with her hair a total mess.

"Oh... good morning."

"Wyatt? We need to talk."

* * *

After making their way down to the lobby in silence, Lo finally said the first word.

"About yesterday... I hope..."

"It's cool," Wyatt stopped her. "I kinda pieced everything together, with Harold's help, mostly."

"Oh. And the things we did..."

"Already forgot about them."

"Really? Well, um... okay then!"

The two then stood together silently for a minute or so, not knowing what to say next. Wyatt then noticed the sun starting to shine into the building through the front doors.

"The sun's... coming out. I guess we're going to have our challenge today."

"Yeah... I guess so."

"You know, we were supposed to discuss strategy with Harold and Lindsay last night."

"Oh, right... we should go do that, shouldn't we?"

Lo started to walk towards the stairs, and after a few seconds, Wyatt followed her.

"By the way... how's your wrist?"

"Great, actually! Feels like I haven't carried a shopping bag in it for weeks!"

* * *

But Wyatt and Lo weren't the only team dealing with issues, as Cody and Jen were on one of the empty floors of the building for their own private chat.

"I've decided to stay after all," announced Cody.

"Really?" Jen squealed. "That's wonderful!"

"You were right all along! I do wanna really be here, and I'm here to do what it takes to win this thing!"

"You sure?"

"Oh, come on. If you keep asking me, I'm going to wanna change my mind again!"

Jen smiled. "Then let's go out there today and win a challenge, partner!"

* * *

A few hours later, the five remaining teams were whisked away via van from Vancouver, back to another outdoor venue in Whistler.

"What do you think we're doing today?" Lindsay asked. "The message said we're going to be... bored."

"I'm pretty sure it said board, not bored," snapped Heather.

"The only kind of board I know is a surfboard," Reef thought out loud as he looked out the window. "Hey, wait a..."

"There's a kind of board that can be used on snow!" Harold figured out. "It's called..."

* * *

"Snowboarding!" Reef, Fin, and Jen shouted in unison.

The teams were now standing at the foot of Cypress Mountain, and Allen stood in front of them.

"Good morning, everyone!" the host of the show greeted them.

"Good morning!"

"Obviously, some of you have already figured out what we're doing today..."

"I've always dreamed of representing Canada in the Olympics as a snowboarder!" shouted Jen. "This is the best day EVER!"

"You're not exactly in the Olympics..." noted Wyatt.

"Okay, I am so dominating this event!" announced Fin.

"No, you're not, I am!" Reef stated in retaliation.

The two then pushed each other over at the same time, both with arms flailing in the air as they fell backwards onto the snow, butt-first.

"I can tell you guys are gonna have a lot of fun the next two days," Allen said with a smile. "So let's get to it!"

"May I ask what we're doing exactly?" Heather asked.

"Good question. Here's your answer..."

He directed their attention to the top of a nearby hill. As soon as they looked, a total of four snowboarders came racing over, catching some air before landing and coming to a stop shortly after crossing the finish line, right in front of the teens.

"Ladies and gentlemen... may I introduce, one of the newer Olympic events... Snowboard Cross!"

"That looks awesome!" exclaimed Cody.

"Indeed, and actually very easy to explain. It's essentially a race to the bottom of the hill, involving numerous 'boarders at once! You'll be divided into men's and women's heats, but you'll all get three cracks at the course. At the end of each heat, each racer will be given points based on where you finished the race. After all six heats have been completed, the team with the most points wins the challenge!"

"Sounds easy enough," Reef said arrogantly.

"Winning team wins a $1000 prize package from Burton Snowboards Inc. The package includes any snowboard in their current line, plus matching bindings and boots to go along with it! Very high quality stuff... this is definitely a prize you guys want to win."

"I'll say," Jen added enthusiastically.

"Also, winning team gets to pick two teams to throw into the Elimination Challenge, and of course the losing team in that gets sent home."

"Yahoo!" cheered Reef. "When do we get started?"

"Right now. Let me introduce you to David, Mike, Charlene, and Tiffany. They'll get you geared up, show you how to snowboard, and some tips about to succeed in Snowboard Cross. Off you go!"

* * *

After getting their gear, the competitors went to work learning the ins of snowboarding. Since Jen already knew the basics, she helped a few of the others out. It wasn't long before Fin, Reef, and Lo, all surfers, figured out how to adapt their water skills to the snow. It wasn't long before Jude also got into the hang of things.

At that point, David and Tiffany split the group, taking Jen, Fin, Reef, Lo, and Jude to the actual course to try a few run-throughs, while the others stayed with Charlene and Mike, trying to quickly to get up to speed.

"I can do this!" Cody said as he hopped up and down in the snow.

"I think I got it!" Harold exclaimed as he started to go down the hill. "Wait... how do I stop?"

Harold got his answer a scant second later, when he lost his balance and fell butt-first into the snow.

"Uh... never mind."

"I'm doing it!" Wyatt shouted as he slid down past Harold.

Wyatt not only made his way to the bottom of the small hill, but he managed to stop himself without falling over.

"Hey... I did it! And that was pretty fun!"

* * *

As the novices continued to practice, the more experienced amateurs had started doing practice runs. At the finish line, Jude raised his arms in triumph as he was the first one to get there.

"Now I know why Jen loves this so much!" exclaimed Jude as he unlatched his feet from the snowboard. "That rocked!"

Seconds later, Jen came flying over the final jump and down to the finish line.

"I can't believe how much of a rush that was!" she said with a smile.

"Pretty incredible, isn't it?"

The two waited for Fin, Reef, and Lo to show up, but after a few seconds, nothing.

"Do you think they wiped out?" Jude asked.

"Ha! I've got you beat!" came Reef's voice.

At that moment, Reef launched himself over the last jump, with Fin in hot pursuit. But in paying too much attention to her, he wasn't doing the same for his landing. Although his board landed flat on the ground, his momentum was making him lean backwards and off his feet. Reef wiped out, tumbling a few feet down the finishing hill.

Meanwhile, Fin landed the jump safely and passed Reef just as he came to a stop. Reef scowled as he went to unlatch his board from his feet.

"Who's the man now, Reef?" Fin asked with a smug smile.

"I gave you that one, you know that!" he said in reply.

"So what are you saying... best two-out-of-three?"

"Sure... if you can beat me back to the top of the hill!"

Reef picked up his snowboard and headed for the lifts.

"Hey!" Fin shouted, reaching down to unlatch herself from her board.

"Say..." Jen wondered, "where's Lo?"

"I dunno," the blond-haired surfer shrugged. "After the first jump, I heard her go '**AAAAAAHH**'... and that's the last time I saw her."

"**AAAAHHHHHH!**" Jen and Jude both screamed.

"Like that... wait, huh?"

Lo flew over the last jump, but she was nowhere near in control, as her arms were flailing everywhere.

"Look out! Lookoutlookout lookoutlookoutlookout!"

Jen, Jude, and Fin got out of the way, and despite her panicked state, Lo somehow managed to land safely on the slope. But she then tried to lean back to immediately stop, and ended up falling on her own butt. She practically slid on her backside all the way to and across the finish line.

"Are you okay?" Fin asked, running over to check on her.

"How come nobody told me there were jumps? I seriously thought we were just going straight down the mountain!"

"We didn't have to tell you anything, bra," Jude said to her. "They're part of the mountain, dudette!"

"They're not that bad," Fin reassured Lo. "It's just like jumping in the ocean. Just imagine the jumps are the crests of the waves!"

Lo closed her eyes and tried to produce that image in her mind.

"Oh..." she realized after a few seconds.

Fin reached down to unbuckle Lo from her board.

"So, how about another run?"

"Definitely... I'm ready now!"

* * *

Soon enough, everyone was on the course trying to learn the fastest way down. The biggest trouble seemed to be landing after the jumps, particularly the last one before the finish line. The rain from the previous day hadn't helped, as there was barely enough snow to cover the ground at the bottom. As a result, a lot of the competitors were feeling their board bounce off the ground enough to throw their balance off enough to make them fall.

But despite the conditions, even the ones struggling the most managed to get one or two clean runs before it was time to call it a day.

* * *

The gang had just finished returning their snowboard gear and were heading back to the vans.

"They told me the resort is trying get some emergency snow shipped in for the competition tomorrow," Jen said to the others. "Hopefully that'll help make things easier tomorrow."

"I hope so," Reef said, rubbing his lower back. "Wiping out on snow isn't as easy on my back as wiping out in the water."

Everyone was in high spirits as the sun was starting to set. But then all knew tomorrow, the game was on... and somebody was going to be sent home.

* * *

A sunny, slightly warm winter day meant that it was a great day for a competition... and a great opportunity to send a team packing.

It's nearly high noon as the five remaining teams, already geared up and prepared to hit the course with snowboards in hand, walked up to Allen, who was waiting for them at the finish line area.

"You guys look ready to go racin'!" Allen exclaimed.

"Yeah!" they shouted in reply.

"Girls will run the first heat, guys the second, then back to the girls, and so on until everyone's had three attempts at the course. How long it takes you to finish does not matter. The only thing that matters is what place you cross the finish line in. The winner of each heat will get 4 points. Second gets 3, third 2, etc. This is still a team competition, as it'll take consistently great runs by both team members to come out on top today.

"Ladies, hit the lifts... you're up first!"

* * *

[Women's Heat 1]

After a random draw to determine lane assignments, the girls set up in the starting gates. From outside to inside, with the latter referring to the person starting the furthest to the right, were Heather, Fin, Lindsay, Jen, and Lo.

They put on helmets to protect to their noggins and goggles to help reduce the glare of the sun in their eyes. With that, all they had to wait for was the gate to drop, signaling the start of the race.

"Racers ready?" the starter shouted. "Go!"

The gates dropped, and the girls were off!

Propelling themselves out of the gates and into the opening rhythm section, Jen quickly used her expertise to get through it the fastest, leading the way over the first jump and into Turn 1. Fin was right behind her, followed by Heather and Lo.

Lindsay was the last one over the jump, but then noticed too late she wasn't setting up for Turn 1. As she tried to compensate, she fell down, sliding right into the first flag and out of bounds.

The other four easily glided through Turn 1, which banked left. It led to the second jump, followed by another banked turn, this one to the right. Jen and Fin opened up a slight gap on Heather and Lo, who both seemed focused more on staying upright rather than trying to gain speed.

Jen continued to lead the way as they encountered more jumps on the way down, each bigger than the last. Fin trailed her by about a board's length, with Heather three back of her and Lo trying to come up beside her.

As they approached the bottom, Fin pulled up next to Jen as they hit the second-to-last jump. Now on the inside, Fin nudged ahead into the quick right-handed Turn 9 and towards the final jump.

The two girls came flying over the final jump with their teammates cheering them on, and Fin won the first heat pulling away, by just under two board lengths over Jen. As they skidded to a stop, Lo was already in mid-air and about to land, now ahead of Heather as the two came into the finish.

"That was intense," Fin remarked.

"I know, right?" Jen said in response. "I guess it's going to take more than just being a good snowboarder to win this one."

* * *

[Men's Heat 1]

Now it was the guys' turn to experience the course in full-blown competition. From outside to inside, it was Cody, Harold, Wyatt, Reef, and Jude.

"Hope you're ready to see my backside, gentleman, because you're all going to be eating my snow dust!" declared Reef.

"We'll see about that, dude," Jude replied.

Helmets on. Goggles down. Time to go racing.

The gates dropped, and the guys were off into the rhythm section. Reef tried to make his way to the right. But as he did leading up to Jump 1, his board tangled with Jude's. Harold and Cody flew by on the outside as Reef and Jude got over the jump, but had lost all their momentum. But Wyatt, who had fallen in behind Reef, had to slow up just to avoid running into the two of them.

As that mess got untangled, Harold and Cody were in a two-person race as they continued down the hill. Harold occasionally glanced back to see how close Cody was to him, and as they reached the halfway mark, the lead was two-and-a-half boards. Further back, Jude was now a very distant third, followed by Wyatt and Reef.

Lindsay and Jen could be heard cheering on their partners as they reached the final section. Harold continued to hold form as he went over the second-to-last jump, through Turn 9, and over the final ramp to the finish line. Cody settled for second.

"Alright!" Harold rejoiced. "Who's king of the mountain now?"

"I don't know what happened," a shocked Cody stated, "but I'll definitely take second place if they're gonna give it to me."

Jude finished third, Reef fourth, and Wyatt brought up the rear.

"After the first full heat," narrated Allen, "the Gold and Orange Teams are tied for first with six points each. The Blue Team is in third with four. The Brown and Red Teams are bringing up the rear, with each team only getting two points in this round."

* * *

[Women's Heat 2]

After a short break, it was back to the top for Round Two. In this heat, the starting arrangement from outside to inside for the girls was Jen, Lo, Fin, Heather, and Lindsay.

The gates dropped, and the second heat was underway. Once again, Jen led the way into Turn 1. Lo and Fin were side-by-side for second, followed by Heather and Lindsay, as all five made it through the start without incident.

Lo continued to hold her ground and unintentionally hold up her friend as the group made their way over the second, third, and fourth jumps. As Jen pulled away, Heather tried to figure out a way around the two 'Stoked' girls, while Lindsay began struggling to keep up thanks to some poorly angled turns on her part early.

Fin would eventually find her way past Lo, but there was too much ground to make up. Jen easily won the second heat, as Fin held off Lo and Heather for second.

* * *

[Men's Heat 2]

After their first race, the guys seemed even more determined to get racy as they prepared for the second. This time, Reef was on the far outside, with Harold, Wyatt, Cody, and Jude furthest to his right.

The starter gave the command, the gates dropped, and they were off. Again, Reef tried to cut inside as early as possible. Although this attempt was more successfully without cutting anyone off, Harold beat everyone to Turn 1, with Reef, Cody, and Jude all side-by-side immediately behind, and Wyatt at the rear.

The guys quickly jockeyed for position, as Jude and Reef both got by Cody as they went over Jump 2 and into Turn 2. The five boarders proceeded on, single file, with Harold still out in front.

Just past halfway, Jude made his move as he pulled alongside Harold as they reached Jump 5, the only jump on the course where the landing was at a higher point than the take-off point. Jude made a quick grab at his board to reduce his air time, allowing him to land first and avoid losing momentum.

The tactic caused Harold to lose focus, and he went a bit wide in the next turn, allowing Reef to pull up alongside him. Reef would eventually get past, as would Cody a few turns later, before Harold got back up to speed.

Up at the front, Jude led the way to the finish line, gaining four crucial points for him and Fin. Reef was right behind in second, followed by Cody, Harold, and Wyatt.

"So after two heats," announced Allen. "The Orange Team is in first place with 13 points. The Gold Team is in second with 12. With the Red Team at six points, the Blue Team at five, and the Brown Team at four, it looks like it's a two-team race for the gold medal."

* * *

[Women's Heat 3]

The final girls' race started with Heather on the outside, followed by Lindsay, Jen, Fin, and Lo the furthest inside. For the third time, Jen got the hole shot, with Fin and Lo nipping at her heels.

Heather cut Lindsay off going into Turn 1, so Lindsay tried to return the favor in Turn 2. But she turned too sharply, knocking her off her feet and taking out Heather with her.

At the front, Jen and Fin continued to race for the lead, as Lo hung back and tried to keep up. Halfway through, the two girls were coming down the course side-by-side, neither being able to pull completely ahead of the other.

It came down to the final jump, as they flew off it simultaneously. They both leaned forward as they crossed the finish line... it was a photo finish!

"The finish, it's too close to call!" Allen announced excitedly.

The two girls, along with third-place Lo, waited for the video review as Heather recorded a third-straight fourth-place. Lindsay would also arrive before the results were revealed.

"After review the winner of the heat is... Fin!"

"That's two for me!" Fin rejoiced as she ran over to high-five Jude.

"I guess the pressure's on me again," Cody said aloud as he headed for the lift with the others.

* * *

[Men's Heat 3]

So it all came down to the final race. From outside to inside, the boys were lined up Harold, Jude, Cody, Reef, and Wyatt. The gate dropped, and off they went. This time around, there were no incidents at the start. Reef led the group into Turn 1, followed by Cody, Harold, Wyatt, and Jude, who had gotten off to a slow start.

But things quickly changed at the second jump, as Reef leaned too far to his right, trying to set up for Turn 2. He landed on the side of his board, and over he went. As he slid on the ground, everyone else went by him.

That wouldn't be the only mistake made on the course, as two turns later Harold couldn't straighten out after a turn, cutting his momentum greatly as Wyatt and Jude passed him in the process.

The incident allowed Cody to extend his lead. Barring any mistakes, it looked as if he was going to cruise to victory. Meanwhile, Wyatt was holding onto second place, having finally put everything together, and Jude was struggling to find a way around him.

Jen was optimistically enthusiastic as Cody came flying over the last jump and across the finish line, winning the final heat. But she was also looking behind him at the race for second, as Jude had pulled alongside Wyatt as they hit the ramp.

But with Jude having slingshot his way up to Wyatt, the latter had no response as the former landed first and beat him to the finish line.

"Good job!" Jen shouted as she greeted Cody as he took his helmet off.

"Would've been better if we won the challenge," remarked Cody.

Sure enough, Jude's last-second pass gave him and Fin the outright overall challenge victory, and they were jumping around with glee over it. Wyatt and Lo came over to congratulate the winning team, and so did Cody and Jen.

As for the final heat, Harold finished fourth, and Reef dead last.

* * *

Once everyone had caught their breath, it was time for Allen to officially announce the results.

"It came down to the last race and the last jump... but by one point, the winner of the challenge is the Orange Team!"

The others applauded as Jude and Fin stepped forward to receive their imitation gold medals.

"As winners of this challenge, you each win a $1000 prize package from Burton Snowboards Inc. You also now must pick from the other four teams two to throw into the Elimination Challenge."

Fin and Jude talked about it for a minute, and then came up with their decision.

"We're just going to say," prefaced Fin, "that you guys shouldn't get upset over who we pick. Everyone's going to have be eliminated from this game at same point, anyway."

"That being said," Jude continued, "we've decided to put the Gold and Blue Teams in the challenge this time."

Jen, Cody, Lindsay, and Harold stepped forward, all with mixed feelings about being chosen.

"Would you like to explain your reasoning?" Allen asked the Orange Team.

"We're starting to get down to the end," Fin said, "and we feel we need to begin getting rid of the teams that have no business still being here. Only the best teams should be competing for the prize, in our opinion."

"Not to stir the pot, but given their performance today, you can't sure believe that the Gold Team is one of the unworthy ones, do you?"

"They are worthy, dude," Jude replied. "That's exactly why we put them in the challenge... 'cause I know Jen's going to smoke them on the course."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," responded Jen. "But I don't like the fact Cody and I are risking our stake in the game in the process."

"Well, Jen," Allen said, "they've made their decision. Now, for today's Elimination Challenge... the 'Snowboard Cross Winner-Take-All Race.' All four participants will get one last crack at the course. There's only one rule... winner take all. That means, the first person to reach the finish line saves himself or herself and their partner from elimination. The other team gets sent home. No ifs, ands, or buts.

"That being said... let's get it on!"

* * *

Suited up again for one last run, Cody, Harold, Jen, and Lindsay were in the starting gates and awaiting the start signal. Down at the finish line, the other three teams were ready to observe the race.

"Let's go!" Jude exclaimed, anxious for the race to start.

Back up top...

"Racers ready?" the starter shouted. "Go!"

The gates dropped, and the four headed out on the course. It was no surprise who was in the lead after the rhythm section, as Jen piloted the group into Turn 1. Her teammate Cody was in second, followed closely by Harold. Lindsay had gotten out to a slow start, and quickly became a non-factor.

Jen worked the course like a pro, increasing her lead to about five board lengths as Harold worked his way alongside Cody. At halfway, Harold finally slipped by Cody, and was picking up speed as he tried to catch Jen.

Down the steepest part of the course, both Harold and Cody gained ground on Jen as they moved towards the final few turns and jumps.

"No way," Fin commented at the bottom. "He's catching up!"

"Let's go, Jen!" Jude tried to cheer her on.

Harold was nipping at Jen's heels as they carved into Turn 8. Feeling the heat, Jen tried to block a move to the inside as they hit the second-to-last jump. In doing so, though, she ended up slowing herself down. Harold responded by turning a little bit sharper into Turn 9, allowing him to hit the final jump dead center.

Harold raised his arms triumphantly as he crossed the finish line first, with Cody in second and Jen a disappointing third. Harold came to a stop, unlatched his helmet, and threw it up into the air in celebration.

"That was a comeback for the ages! Boo-yah!"

Cody walked over, snowboard in hand, to congratulate him.

"You did it again, man!"

"Good race, Cody. It's gonna be sad to see you and Jen go."

Harold then walked over to Jen, who was now only taking her helmet off.

"I guess that's that," Jen said in defeat, reaching out to shake Harold's hand. "Great race."

"You too, Jen."

* * *

After Lindsay had finally made it down the course and had taken a couple of minutes to thank Harold for keeping them in the game, the duo joined the others for the Gold Team's fond farewell.

"So it's time to officially to congratulate the Blue Team for surviving the Elimination Challenge," Allen said aloud. "Second time for you two staving off elimination."

"I think we've justly proven we definitely still deserve to be here," Harold declared boldly.

"Yeah!" Lindsay added. "Take that, all you non-believers!"

Lindsay seemed to be directing that towards the Orange Team, and Allen took notice.

"What do you think about that, Orange Team?" Allen asked them.

"What can we say," Fin shrugged. "They stepped it up when they had to."

"Mad props, Harold!" Jude shouted at Harold.

"That being said, it's time to bid adieu to another team. Cody and Jen, we loved having you here... but it's time for you to exit the game."

The two waved goodbye and headed out to the vans, on their way to the airport.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I made the wrong move, trying to block when I should've just kept on going," admitted Jen. "I would've beaten Harold to the finish otherwise."

"It only takes one mistake to get eliminated," Cody stated, "and today, we were the ones who made it."

"I guess my Olympic dream's going to have be put on hold for a few more years. But despite the outcome, it was great to come out to Vancouver and feel like one of the best athletes in the world for a couple of weeks."

"Vancouver's got some great facilities, and I can't wait for Team Canada to come out in a few weeks to take on the world's best!"

"Is there anything I'd do differently if we had another shot at this? I definitely should've been more supportive of Cody. He's a great teammate, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone else here."

"Anything different... I'd say no. Despite our ups and downs, I loved having Jen as my teammate. It's a shame... after all our struggles to communicate, we worked together the best at the end. Lady luck just caught up with us today. What can you do?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Cody and Jen waved one last time the camera as the doors to the van were slid closed, and they were whisked out of Whistler and the competition.

* * *

"And then there were four teams," Allen said to the eight remaining competitors. "Can you feel it, guys? You're getting closer and closer to the prize. Each of you now has a one-in-eight chance of getting a VIP ticket to the Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies. But don't get too complacent... things will continue to get tougher from here on...

"Rest up, and I'll see you all tomorrow..."

With that, the four teams turned about and headed to the vans. It was time to rest up... for the next challenge was really going to work them to the bone.

To be continued...

* * *

(Next time on 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"Which Olympic event do you think we're competing in today?" Reef asked aloud.

(You know what, Allen? Let's tell them!)

"Today's Olympic event... curling!"

Lindsay squealed excitedly. "I didn't know doing your hair was an Olympic sport! I'm winning the gold for sure!"

"I can't believe how lame this is!" complained Reef, as he tossed his sweeper into the air.

"All you have to do," Wyatt pointed out, "is knock that stone out, and we win!"

"If you have any 'ooh, I guess I forgot to mention that I'm a great curler' in you," Heather said to Lo, "now's the time to show it!"

(But if that's not your idea of fun, then how about this...)

"Lindsay," 'Darth' breathed out. "I am your... **BROTHER**!"

"Like totally no way!"

(Or this...)

"Not that I like evoking Jen," Heather admitted as she looked the horrendously messy apartment over, "but this place is a total pig sty!"

Wyatt shook his head. "And I thought we had the bigger mess."

(And don't forget this...)

"Grab a s-s-s-s-s-seat!" Lo called out through chattering teeth. "It's just like b-b-b-b-being back at the resort!"

"Are you crazy?" Fin shouted back. "It's freezing out here!"

(See you on the next episode of 'Fresh from Canada,' coming soon!)

"If you know I hate cleaning up other people's filth," Fin growled, "what makes you think I like cleaning **MINE**?"


	8. Episode Seven

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Seven  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Does that mean that they're out of the competition?" Lo asked.

After Cody's injury in the luge competition...

"What do I do, what do I do?" Jen said aloud as she paced the room.

There were questions about whether they would continue in the game...

"Physically, yes. But, to be honest with you... I'm not really sure my heart's in this competition anymore."

But then...

"I've decided to stay after all," announced Cody.

"Really?" Jen squealed. "That's wonderful!"

"You were right all along! I do wanna really be here, and I'm here to do what it takes to win this thing!"

Meanwhile, the game changed when Jude traded Heather for Fin...

"I'm not going to let her get to me. I'm not going to let her get to me," he started to mutter continuously.

"The best thing about now having Reef as a teammate..." Heather said to herself while she sat on her bed, "is that he can help me personally put his friends Lo and Fin in the next Elimination Challenge! And if he refuses... well, let's just say I haven't pulled out even half of my arsenal of tricks yet! Mwa ha ha ha!"

And it showed when the teams competed in snowboard cross...

"Now I know why Jen loves this so much!" exclaimed Jude as he unlatched his feet from the snowboard. "That rocked!"

"It came down to the last race and the last jump... but by one point, the winner of the challenge is the Orange Team!"

The new Orange Team threw the Gold and Blue Teams into the challenge...

"No way," Fin commented at the bottom. "He's catching up!"

"Let's go, Jen!" Jude tried to cheer her on.

But Harold and Lindsay pulled off yet another upset...

"That was a comeback for the ages! Boo-yah!"

And Cody and Jen had no choice this time... they were going home...

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I made the wrong move, trying to block when I should've just kept on going," admitted Jen. "I would've beaten Harold to the finish otherwise."

"It only takes one mistake to get eliminated," Cody stated, "and today, we were the ones who made it."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Only four teams are left. Find out which team is the next to go on tonight's episode of... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

The eight remaining competitors returned to their residence in Vancouver, and despite the sun just having set over the horizon, they were looking forward to a little rest and relaxation.

"I'm so exhausted," remarked Lo. "I can't wait to just plop into bed."

"Oh, come on!" objected Reef. "It's only five thirty! I'm sure we can find something to do!"

"We could see if there's a good movie on TV," suggested Harold.

Suddenly, Harold felt his pocket vibrate. He reached in and pulled out his iPhone.

"Allen just sent us a video message!"

"We just got back from the challenge!" complained Heather. "There's no one he's gonna have us do something else."

Once in the lobby, everyone gathered around Harold as he played the message for all of them to see and hear.

"Good evening, everyone!" Allen greeted.

"Hey..." they all responded, in various degrees of interest and despite the fact the video wasn't a live feed.

"As you know, you guys are using some of the apartments that will be part of the Olympic Village next month. It has been brought to my attention that we need to do an inspection to make sure that none of you have damaged your quarters.

"Before that happens, though, we need to do a little rearranging. Harold, you will now be moving into Reef's room."

"Um, okay," Harold casually accepted.

"Also, Heather, you will now be rooming with Lo."

"Her?" the two girls exclaimed, pointing angrily at each other.

"We'll be taking care of the apartments Harold and Heather are leaving. As for the two you all are residing in, well... I think you can figure that out..."

With that, the message abruptly ended.

"He's not suggesting what I think he's suggesting, is he?" Fin thought out loud.

* * *

The eight teenagers reached the fifth floor, and found an assortment of cleaning supplies waiting for them at their apartment entrances.

"No way, dude!" a distraught Jude shouted.

"This is not how I envisioned spending my Wednesday night," stated an unhappy Fin.

The boys opened the door to their apartment and began to assess what had to be done. There was trash and dirty clothes strewn all over the place. Crumbs littered the kitchen counter tops and floor. A couple of days-old pizza boxes with half-eaten pizza still in them were piled up by the balcony door.

"How come I never noticed how dirty this place was until now?" Wyatt asked aloud.

"Because you decided to selectively ignore it," Jude explained, "hoping the rest of us would get around to cleaning it."

Harold walked over to the bedroom he was now sharing with Reef. He saw all of his suitcases piled neatly next to the empty bed in there. But it looked out of place given the state of the messy room.

"Well, I guess it could be worse..."

"**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!**"

Hearing Heather's screams, the four boys rushed out of their apartment and into the girls'. They found Heather in the doorway, stunned at the state of disarray the apartment was in. The kitchen sink was full of dishes, the trash can was bursting at the seams with garbage, and the balcony door had splatters of food on it.

"Not that I like evoking Jen," Heather admitted as she looked the horrendously messy apartment over, "but this place is a total pig sty!"

Wyatt shook his head. "And I thought we had the bigger mess."

"But Heather," Lindsay said aloud, "we've lived in worst conditions than this!"

"That was by force! Here, we have the choice not to live in filth!"

"Chill out!" Lo told her as Heather walked past her to her new bedroom. "It's not as bad as you think."

Heather disappeared into her new bedroom and came back out a few seconds later, disgusted and nearly drawn to puking on the spot.

"My bed looks like a tornado hit it! Your stuff is everywhere!"

"This I gotta see!" Jude remarked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

But before Jude or anyone could get to the bedroom, Heather somehow single-handedly pushed all of the guys out of the apartment. And then she slammed the door behind them. Once they were gone, Heather glared angrily at the other girls.

"Okay, okay," Lo admitted, "so the place needs a **LITTLE** sprucing..."

"A little? That's what you call a **LITTLE**? No wonder there's bugs and junk crawling around here!"

Heather pointed out a small group of cockroaches hanging out near the sink.

"And you!" Heather looked at Fin. "Aren't you a maid or something? I'm surprised you still have a job, since I'm betting most of the stuff lying around here is yours!"

"Hey!"

"Suck it up, missy! You're the dirtiest one here, so you get to clean up all of the dirtiest messes!"

"If you know I hate cleaning up other people's filth," Fin growled, "what makes you think I like cleaning **MINE**?"

Heather handed Fin dishwasher soap, a sponge, and bug spray.

"Do the dishes, then the balcony door, and anything else that looks totally trashed."

She then turned to Lo and pushed the vacuum cleaner towards her.

"I hope you know how to use one of these, rich girl!"

"Grody much?" Lo said in disgust. "Isn't that the maid's job?"

"I heard that!" shouted Fin.

Lo rolled her eyes, then grabbed the vacuum.

"Fine..."

"As for you," Heather glanced at Lindsay. "I'm sure even you can do laundry."

Heather tossed Lindsay laundry soap and detergent, as well as a small basket to carry clothes in.

"That oughta keep you three busy for awhile."

"Wait a minute," Fin glared at her. "What are **YOU** doing?"

"Why, nothing, of course! It's not my mess, after all."

With that, Heather walked out of the apartment.

* * *

Meanwhile, the boys had reluctantly gotten to work. Wyatt was going to start by wiping down the counters. Jude was busy collecting all the trash, although he took time to munch down a slice of old pizza before tossing it. Reef had the unenviable task of cleaning the bathrooms, while Harold was gathering up dirty laundry.

"Oh God!" Reef shouted. "How does Fin stomach doing this every day?"

"Should we be really throwing this out?" Jude asked as he took another bite. "This pizza tastes even better aged!"

"Ugh," Wyatt nearly gagged, "don't make me picture that mental image!"

"To be fair," Harold noted, "cardboard pizza still probably tastes better than any of the food Chef cooked for us."

"How could you stand eating all of that?"

"Sadly, your stomach gets used to it after awhile."

"Can we not talk about food?" Reef yelled from the bathroom. "This is disgusting enough as it is!"

Harold and Wyatt dropped the subject and got back to work.

* * *

After a couple of hours, the boys' apartment was spic and span. Exhausted, all four guys plopped down on the couch.

"All we have to do is wait on the laundry," Harold said to the others. "It'll be a few hours before it's all done, but at least everything else is finished."

"Remind me never to let you guys get the apartment this messy again," Wyatt said aloud.

"Agreed," exclaimed Reef.

The four of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dudes..." Jude began to suggest, "how about we chill with a movie?"

"Good idea!" exclaimed Wyatt.

"I'll say," Reef said with a smile. "We should invite the girls over. It'll be fun."

"That's not a bad idea. I think I saw a couple of bags of microwavable popcorn somewhere..."

"Good! You take care of food, Jude'll pick out a good movie, while Harold and I go round up the ladies!"

"But how do we know that they're finished?" Harold asked.

"Never doubt the power of a woman when she's cleaning!"

* * *

"See? What did I tell you?"

Harold was shocked to see that the girls' apartment, in the same period of time, had been cleaned up even better than the boys' digs. In fact, it looked exactly like it did the first day they moved in.

"I have to admit," Reef stated aloud. "Even I'm impressed! Who knew Fin doesn't suck at her job?"

A pillow came flying in out of nowhere. Harold instinctively dodged it by ducking, but Reef didn't even see it coming. It hit him in the back of the head with such force that it knocked him to the ground.

"Next time, I'll throw it hard enough to send you flying out onto the balcony!"

Fin stomped over to Reef, as Harold wisely stepped to the side.

"Ha, the joke's on you!" Reef said as he picked himself and the pillow off the ground, leaving behind a few feathers. "You're gonna have to clean that up!"

"Don't you have your own apartment to clean?" Fin asked as she snatched her pillow back from Reef.

"We're actually done."

"We actually came over to invite you all to a little movie night," Harold cut in. "You know, to relax."

Lindsay and Lo came out of the latter's bedroom, the former carrying a basket full of dirty bed sheets.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" cheered Lindsay.

"What movie?" Lo asked.

"Not sure... Jude's trying to see what's on TV. But I'm sure it'll be something pretty spectacular!"

"Okay, we're so totally in!"

"I guess," Fin gave in. "But, we're not done with our laundry yet..."

"It can wait," Harold told her. "Ours is still running..."

"Well, alright then..."

* * *

A few minutes later, the group was beginning to gather in front of the boys' TV. Cody, Lo, Lindsay, and Heather, who had reappeared after being conveniently missing for a few hours, had all staked out places on the couch. Jude was sitting on the floor, while Reef and Fin had grabbed some chairs from the dining room to park on. That only left Wyatt, who was finishing up working on the popcorn, and...

Darth Vader, emerging from Harold's bedroom and sneaking up on Lindsay from behind.

"Lindsay," 'Darth' breathed out, just above her left shoulder. "I am your... **BROTHER!**"

"Like totally no way! I never knew I had a sibling!"

Heather rolled her eyes. "He's joking... idiot."

"Ohhhhhhhhhh... that explains everything!"

"Cool mask," complimented Cody. "Where'd you get it, Harold?"

'Darth' took off the helmet, revealing Harold in its place.

"At a convention a few months ago. It was from this guy in a red shirt who suddenly decided that the Borg were a more menacing threat to the existence of the universe than the Galactic Empire ever..."

"Dude, really?" Reef raised an eyebrow in disgust. "See, that's why you don't have a girlfriend."

"Didn't we have that sci-fi convention at the resort last summer?" Lo recalled.

"Yes, and it wasn't that bad!" exclaimed Fin, before coming to a realization. "Of course, that was **BEFORE** I had to clean their rooms! Surprisingly, a lot of the showers went unused..."

"Popcorn's ready!" Wyatt announced as he joined the others, a bowl full of popcorn in each hand.

"So..." Harold asked as he calmly took one of the bowls from Wyatt, "what movie are we watching, Jude?"

"Well, the pickings are kinda slim," Jude told them. "We've got three to choose from. First, since we've got surfers in the house, there's a certain little classic on called 'Break Point'..."

Fin grabbed Lindsay's hands, looked lovingly into her eyes, and started speaking in a husky man's voice.

"Let me take you... to the edge with me!"

"Ha ha, very funny, Fin," Reef sarcastically responded. "Make fun of me in front of the only girl left in this game that I still have eyes for!"

"Really?" questioned Fin before turning to Jude. "Well... Jude, put it on! Let's see if he's tried to use pick-up lines from the movie on her yet."

"No, I haven't, and... besides... I promised you I wouldn't do that anymore. Remember?"

"Oh... yeah."

Heather sighed. "Apparently, the two lovebirds have issues with this movie, so just move onto choice number two already!"

"Hey!" Fin and Reef objected in unison.

"And number two better not be 'War Star Galaxy Force!'"

"Hey!" Fin simultaneously objected again... but this time with Harold.

Jude growled. "Fine! I guess that leaves only one movie..."

* * *

Exactly 93 minutes and 27 seconds later...

The girls exited the boys' apartment angry, bored, confused, and a little... disoriented?

"'Torque 3: The Most Torque Yet' was the most insipid movie I have ever had the displeasure of sitting through!" complained Heather.

"It wouldn't have been such a bad movie," yawned Fin, "if it were more believable. An F-1 race car jumps completely across the Grand Canyon? Puh-lease!"

"I thought people raced to win," Lindsay stated, scratching her head. "Since when do they race to not lose?"

"What?" Lo asked.

"Since the producers obviously figured the target audience only liked exotic cars and fast women," Fin's reply to Lindsay's question began, "plot wasn't exactly their biggest concern."

"What?" queried Lo again, this time with a hand up by her ear.

Heather looked at Lo. "What's wrong with you, rich girl? The movie too loud for you and now you're deaf?"

"**WHAT?** I can't hear you! I think the movie was too loud, and now I think I'm... that thing when you can't hear anything!"

"Wait a minute..." Fin thought out loud. "If none of us liked the movie, why did we sit through the whole thing?"

The girls walked into their apartment and got their answer... the unfinished laundry.

"Oh... right..."

* * *

As for the boys...

"That was... wicked awesome!" Jude exclaimed.

"Yeah, man!" added Reef. "Did you see that F-1 car jump the Grand Canyon? That was epic!"

"My favorite part had to be when they were talking about their stylistic intake valves and dual-compression chambers!" inputted Harold.

"Again, dude... that's why you don't have a girlfriend."

"Lo seemed to be the only girl invested in it," Wyatt told them. "After every scene she wanted me to recap everything that happened, as if she wanted to make sure she didn't forget everything that happened... apparently."

"Huh... never pegged Lo as the car-obsessed type."

"Hey..." Jude noticed as he flipped through the channels. "It looks like that movie network's encoring 'Point Break'."

"Guys..." Reef smiled, "guess what we're doing the next two hours!"

Harold and Wyatt shrugged, not really interested at the concept of the movie...

But hey... it puts off finishing the laundry for a couple more hours.

_(End Act One_)

* * *

Early the next morning, just after sunrise...

Fin woke up to the sun shining in her face through the balcony door. As she sat up and stretched her arms, she realized that she had fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for the last of the laundry to finish up. She turned to the TV... to find it off.

"That's funny... I thought it was on when I dozed off to Snores-ville."

She got up and went to the dryer, but stopped short when she noticed the door leading up to the roof had been left ajar. Curious, she went inside and made her way up the stairs...

* * *

Fin opened the outer door to the roof deck and saw Lo lying on a lawn chair, shivering as she tried to get warm off the sun's rays.

"Grab a s-s-s-s-s-seat!" Lo called out through chattering teeth. "It's just like b-b-b-b-being back at the resort!"

Fin felt the chilly air brush against her skin, and nearly did a double take.

"Are you crazy?" Fin shouted back. "It's freezing out here!"

"Oh, don't b-b-be ridicu-u-u-u-u-lous!"

"Nice to see you got your hearing back, by the way! I just hope it didn't come at the sacrifice of your common sense!"

Lo managed to hold up a digital thermometer so Fin could see the screen. It read 38 degrees.

"See? T-t-t-t-technically, it's not freezing yet!"

"You're acting like such a kook!" Lo growled as she slammed the door closed.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Kook?" Lo gasped. "Fin called me a kook? She's never done that before! But I don't understand!"

"I really think this whole competition's getting to her," Fin said with a sigh. "That, or she's gone crazy after a week-and-a-half without going shopping! And, no, before you ask, that teddy bear from the gift shop doesn't count. She probably actually used cash to pay for that thing! And if you didn't know, she's the plastic kind-of-girl."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

"What happened to her?" Lindsay asked.

She was referring to Lo, who now had a blanket covering her shivering body after Fin eventually convinced her to come back inside.

"Long story," Fin said, caring not to explain.

As Fin walked Lo back to bed, the gears began to turn in Lindsay's head.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm starting to think that something in the state of Denmark is rotten!" Lindsay thought out loud. "Heck, I didn't even know Denmark was a state! I thought it was one of those province thingies."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Minutes later, Lindsay had dragged Harold and Wyatt out of the bed and was meeting with them in the stairwell. The main indoors one, that is.

"Don't you think you're overreacting?" Harold questioned his partner.

"No!" she replied assuredly. "Fin's trying to convince Lo to break up our alliance!"

"But the last time I talked to Lo," Wyatt remembered, "she had no intentions of having us break our alliance right now!"

"Did she actually tell you that?"

"Well... no... the issue never came up. I just assumed it wouldn't until it was down to our two teams and Fin's team. That can't happen unless we get rid of Heather and..."

"Screw Heather! We're going after Fin!"

"But why?" Harold and Wyatt asked at the same time.

"Because I want to get back at her for throwing us into that last Elimination Challenge! Oh... and because I just decided that I don't want to like her anymore!"

"Maybe we should think about this," Harold suggested. "You're probably just have some random mood swing or something..."

"**MOOD SWING?**"

"Did I say mood swing... I mean good swing. As in, maybe you'll reconsider if you take a good swing at something?"

That managed to calm Lindsay down to normal.

"Oh."

Lindsay then headed down the stairs, leaving the boys behind.

"Um..." Harold asked, "where are you going?"

"To take a good swing at the air outside, silly! I can't hurt it, and it can't hurt me."

With that, Lindsay continued down and out of earshot. Wyatt shook his head as he patted Harold on the shoulder.

"Never, ever question a girl's mood swings," he advised him. "Trust me... I did it once, and I'm lucky to still be alive."

* * *

A short time later, Jude was in the kitchen trying to scrounge up something from breakfast, when he heard the iPhone start to ring. Seeing it on the counter, he picked it up just as Harold walked in.

"It's a new message from Allen!" Jude stated as he opened the message up and read it aloud. "Be ready to sweep away the competition if you hope to survive another day. Departure time is 9:30 am. Dress fairly warm for indoor action."

"That's only half an hour from now!" Harold realized. "I'd better get Reef out of bed."

* * *

"Sweep away the competition?" Fin wondered out loud as she glanced up at the ceiling. "I wonder what that means..."

"At least it's indoors," commented Lo, who then promptly sneezed.

"Says the girl who sat outside in 30-degree weather for half an hour!"

* * *

A short van ride later, the eight remaining competitors walked into the Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Centre. Allen was waiting for them in the entryway.

"Which Olympic event do you think we're competing in today?" Reef asked aloud.

"As long as it's something not as physically demanding as the last few challenges, I'll take it," replied Heather.

"Good morning, everyone!" Allen greeted them.

"Morning!" the octet greeted back.

"We've got a busy day ahead of us, so I'll get straight to the point. Today's Olympic event... curling!"

Lindsay squealed excitedly. "I didn't know doing your hair was an Olympic sport! I'm winning the gold for sure!"

"Actually, Lindsay, curling is an Olympic sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target about 120 feet or so away."

"So it's like shuffleboard on ice," concluded Wyatt.

"More like chess on ice, but you get the idea."

"What do we look like, old people?" Reef questioned. "How about something **FUN**?"

"Curling is fun... you'll see. Especially since the game is so easy to learn."

"Okay, so where do we start?" Wyatt asked.

"First things first, Wyatt... don't you want to know what you're all playing for?"

Allen reached underneath a nearby table and pulled out a red and white graduation cap. He motioned as if he was going to throw it at Reef, but he changed his mind and put it on his own head instead.

"We all realize that you're high school students, and hopefully most, if not all of you, have aspirations of pursuing university education. But as we all know, that doesn't come cheap these days, and very few people can afford to pay for it from their own pockets. Except maybe Lauren..."

Lo smiled. "It's true. Daddy would be willing to pay anything for me."

"Except to help you buy this competition, apparently," Heather snidely remarked.

"Ahem," coughed Allen. "Anyway... so we've got a special prize this time around. Each member of the winning team will each be awarded a one-time $1,000 scholarship to the Canadian college, university, or other higher-learning institution of their choice. Because Canada cares about your future!"

"That's pretty nice of you guys," commented Wyatt.

"But this is still a competition... so, as usual, the winning team... will be safe. The losing team will automatically be thrown into the Elimination Challenge, where its members will fight for their lives!"

"Hold on!" Heather cut in. "You said team, not teams. Last time I counted, there were four teams left. Not two!"

"Astute observation! As you may or may not know, curling is usually played four-on-four. Therefore, instead of competing as four pairs of two for this particular competition, you will be facing off as two super-teams of four!"

Everyone started looking at each other, wondering which teams were going to be paired up.

"The good news is, we don't have to go through the drama of picking the super-teams... because we already did so yesterday!"

"Wait... what?" shouted Reef aloud. "How can that be?"

"And you all have Jude and Fin to thank for that!"

The Orange Team gasped in shock.

"When... when did that happen, dude?" Jude asked.

"Yesterday."

Everyone looked both confused as anxious, as a befuddled Jude and Fin tried to figure it out.

Just who exactly did they pick for their super-team?

_(End Act Two)_

* * *

Allen had just told the competitors that they were going to be competing as two super-teams in the upcoming curling competition. But even more surprising was that fact that apparently Jude and Fin had already decided upon the teams... and they didn't know about it!

"This happened yesterday?" Fin asked Allen. "I don't remember that!"

"You really should stop stalling and tell us who you picked," Lindsay shouted at her.

"But I don't know!"

"Neither do I, bra!" added Jude.

"You guys don't remember?" Allen said to them. "Well, I'm sure you remember picking something yesterday."

Jude and Fin thought for a second, and the answer seemed to come to them...

* * *

_Flashback to yesterday..._

_"We're just going to say," prefaced Fin, "that you guys shouldn't get upset over who we pick. Everyone's going to have be eliminated from this game at same point, anyway."_

_"That being said," Jude continued, "we've decided to put the Gold and Blue Teams in the challenge this time."_

* * *

Just to make sure, Allen clarified it for them and the other teams.

"Yesterday, Orange Team, you decided to throw the Gold and Blue Teams into the Elimination Challenge. What you didn't know was that you were also selecting your partner team for today's challenge as well! And that team is... the one who survived the Elimination Challenge yesterday, of course!

"In other words... Jude and Fin, you two will form Super-Team Number 1 with Harold and Lindsay!"

"Wait... we're with them?" Lindsay did a double-take.

"I never would've guessed," admitted Jude.

"To be fair, we had to ensure that the best team got paired up with the worst team. And that's what we have with you guys."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Thanks a lot, Allen!" Lindsay quipped sarcastically. "Now Fin and I are on the same team! That makes it a lot harder to get rid of her, you know!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"That means by default... Wyatt, Lo, Reef, and Heather will make up Super-Team Number 2."

"First I have to share a bedroom with her, and now we're on the same team?" the two girls exclaimed as they pointed at each other.

"This is why I don't like reality shows," Wyatt said to Reef. "They always find ways to stir up animosity."

"Fine," Heather accepted. "I'll work with rich girl, but only because I don't want to lose and automatically have to be in the Elimination Challenge."

"For once, we agree on something," noted Lo.

"I'm glad that's all settled," Allen said, "so I can give you all this!"

Allen tossed a set of white jerseys at Reef and a set of red ones at Jude.

"Super-Team Number One will be known as Canada Red, while Number Two will be Canada White. As for your coaches..."

Allen pointed behind the competitors towards two men.

"Martin Kelly will instruct and coach Canada Red, while Joe Moore will do the same for Canada White. They are part of the team that will represent Canada in Men's Curling, so they have plenty to teach you. But hopefully quickly... the match starts at 5 pm promptly, and for sure, one team WILL be going home **TONIGHT**!

"So... good luck!"

* * *

Once suited up, the two super-teams took to the icy playing surface. Curling stones and brooms were already present on two of the fields, with red rocks for Canada Red and yellow ones for Canada White.

"The goal of curling," Martin explained to Team Canada Red, "is to get as many stones into the target at the opposite end as possible."

"But only the team who has a stone closest to the center of the target can score in any given end," Joe told Team Canada White.

"So another part of the game is using your stones to knock the stones of the other team out of the target area."

"The team that scores gets a point for every stone in the target area. After ten ends, the team with the most points wins."

Once Martin and Joe went over the rest of the rules, the competitors were shown how to throw stones and how to sweep the ice in order to help guide them to the target area.

Of course, that had to be prefaced by...

"Lindsay," Harold asked his teammate, "what are you doing?"

"Ugh!" she grunted as tried to pick up one of the stones. "What does it look like? I have to pick this thing up before I can throw it!"

"Didn't Martin say those things weighed about 40 pounds?"

"Well, that can't be right! How can you throw a stone all the way down there if you can't pick it up?"

She pointed to the target at the other end. Harold buried his face in his hands, hiding his reaction to Lindsay's non-bright question.  
Probably even more embarrassing was the fact that the other team had watched the whole incident... and two of their members had been thinking about doing the same thing.

"Whoa!" Jude said with a sigh of relief.

"I know, right!" added Lo.

Heather and Wyatt glanced at each other in disbelief.

"I'm surrounded by idiots!" grumbled Heather.

"Yeah..." Wyatt hesitated, "I think I'll reserve comments on that one."

* * *

Some short time later, everything got straightened out and they all got to throwing stones down the ice... by pushing them.

Case in point, Reef had launched a stone down, and Wyatt and Lo were sweeping the ice in front of it as Heather barked commands at them.

"Keep going! Harder! Harder right! No, your other right! Other right, damn it!"

At that point, it was too late. Wyatt and Lo couldn't do anything from keeping the stone from sliding out-of-bounds, just short of the target area.

"You're supposed to be following my instructions!" Heather yelled at them.

"It's hard to do that, Heather," Lo growled at her, "when you're yelling so loud that I want to drown out everything that comes out of your mouth!"

"I'm going to be the skip, so you'd better start paying attention to everything coming out of mouth... or else!"

"Or else what?"

"Okay then," Wyatt stepped in, getting between the two girls before it got really messy. "Can we just learn to work together long enough to win this challenge?"

"Only if she agrees first," Lo spouted.

"Oh no..." Heather shot back, "she has to agree first!"

"You know what... Heather, go throw the next stone! Tell Reef he's sweeping."

Heather huffed as she made her way up the ice towards Reef. Wyatt then turned to Lo.

"Can you two girls put aside your differences for a few hours so we can get through this?"

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Lo. "She has to agree to it first!"

Wyatt sighed. "This is going to be a **LONG** day..."

Well, at least Team Canada Red is making progress...

"Take that!" Jude shouted, thrusting his broom at Harold.

"Take that back!" Harold returned the favor.

"Hey!" yelled Fin.

In their mock-fight, Jude and Harold had ignored the stone Fin had just thrown, and it was coming to a stop well, well short of the target area.

"Yeah!" cheered Lindsay as the stone stopped. "Now, push it towards me!"

"That's not how it..." Fin started yelling before giving up and turning around to get another stone. "Do over!"

Okay, maybe not...

* * *

A few hours of practice later might have fixed things...

"I can't believe how lame this is!" complained Reef, as he tossed his sweeper into the air.

"It would help if you would get serious about this!" Lo said to him.

The broom then came down and bonked Reef in the head.

"Fine... as long as you don't hit me anymore."

"But I didn't..."

"**HEY!**" Heather yelled. "**LISTEN TO ME THIS TIME!**"

"Speaking of someone I actually **DO** want to hit..." murmured Lo.

"What was that?" Heather asked, walking up behind her with her own broom in hand.

"Nothing you should be concerned about, Heather."

"Well, maybe I should hear it anyway, Lo."

"If you want to get hit that badly..."

"If anyone's going to get hit badly, it's you..."

"Alright, that does it!" Wyatt said, stepping in again. "I'm taking over as skip! If the only way you two are going to work together is if you're not barking at each other, then I'd better be the one doing the yelling! You two do want to win this thing, right?"

"Wyatt's got a point," Lo stated.

"Fine," Heather growled. "Wyatt's skip, okay? But only because I want to win. Got it?"

With Wyatt in control, Team Canada White finally got focused on the task at hand. Good thing, too, because Team Canada Red had just landed their first scoring stone.

"Great job, ladies!" Harold complimented Fin and Lindsay on their sweeping skills. "And awesome throw, Jude!"

"You mean wicked throw, bro!" Jude corrected.

"Wicked, awesome, whatever," Fin said with delight. "I'm beginning to think we've got this one in the bag!"

* * *

Five o'clock arrived, and now it was time for the challenge to begin. All of the stones were now gathered at one end of one ice strip, and the two teams stood facing each other as Allen addressed them.

"Time for the challenge! The coaches participated in a coin flip a few minutes ago. Team Canada White won the toss and decided that they will start with the hammer. That means Team Canada Red will throw the first stone!

"Remember the coaches are only around to provide strategy support. Competitors, they are not allowed to touch any stones or brooms while the game is in play. Regulation match rules, with each team getting 73 minutes of play time! Game on, ladies and gentleman!"

And with that, the challenge was first. Skips Harold and Wyatt stood at the opposite end as they watched Lindsay grab a red stone and drag it into position. Fin and Jude stood with brooms ready.

"Okay..." Lindsay thought to herself. "Here goes nothing..."

Lindsay pushed off from the starting blocks, or hacks, and towards the hogline. Just before reaching it, Lindsay let go. It was now up to Harold to guide the stone towards the target, and tell Jude and Fin how to do that.

"Sweep, sweep!" he called out. "Medium! Keep it straight!"

The two swept at the ice as the stone continued to sail.

"Keep going! Keep going! Light, Fin! Light... no wait, Hard! Both of you, hard!"

They swept as hard as they could, but the stone stopped about two feet short of the target area, about a foot-and-a-half left of center.

"Not bad," Harold commented. "We can work with that."

It was time for Team Canada White to throw their first stone. Lo set up top-side, while Heather and Reef took up sweeping positions. Wyatt waited for his teammate to send the stone on its way.

"If you have any 'ooh, I guess I forgot to mention that I'm a great curler' in you," Heather said to Lo, "now's the time to show it!"

Seconds later, Lo pushed off, and the stone was away. This one was a little faster than Lindsay's, and was drifting slightly to the opposite side of her stone.

"Hold, hold!" Wyatt called out, letting the stone's own momentum carry it. "Okay, easy! Easy, guys!"

Reef and Heather started going at the ice, but they weren't going the same speed. In fact, Reef was sweeping a lot faster than called for.

"Easy! Easy!"

The stone started drifting more and more towards the outer edge as it entered the scoring zone.

"Hard, Heather! Hard!"

Wyatt got his broom and came out to help Heather. He motioned for Reef to back off as Wyatt and Heather swept the ice as hard as possible. The rock came to a stop a little over eight feet away from the target's outer rim and four feet right of center.

Wyatt shook his head, not happy with the shot. Heather was just not happy with Reef.

"How was I supposed to know?" he shrugged as Heather scowled at him. "This game is still lame, FYI!"

* * *

Moving forward to the last throw of the first end, and after getting instructions from Coach Joe, Wyatt passed them onto Reef, and then to Heather and Lo. He then took his place at the top of his second and final toss of the end.

At that moment, there were three stones in the playing area - two red and one yellow. None of them lied in the actual scoring zone, but both reds were right next to each other, several inches outside the aforementioned zone, and almost near dead center.

Team Canada Red knew this could work in their favor if Wyatt's shot hit one of their stones correctly. They watched as Wyatt pushed off and sent his stone down the ice, who was looking to avoid that happening.

"Let it go!" Reef exclaimed.

The girls slid on the ice, just ahead of the stone. Suddenly, Lo stopped, as she lifted her hand up to cover her mouth just as she was about to sneeze.

"Achoo!"

That left Heather alone to guide the stone. Problem was, she was on the same side of the stone that the red team's two stones were, and she had to guide it away from her. Reef wanted to jump in and help her, but he couldn't until the stone crossed into the Free Guard Zone.

Once it did, Reef ran over to where Lo should have been and started sweeping the ice as hard as he could. Heather stepped back and let Reef put all his strength into trying to get the stone to make it to the target area.

The stone was beginning to stop as it came alongside the two red stones without touching them. Reef kept sweeping away as the yellow stone slowly crept to, and eventually, over the edge of the outer ring of the target area, before coming to a stop just a few inches in.

"One point for Team Canada White!" Allen declared.

"Yes!" Reef exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "Whew..."

"Glad to see one surfer dedicated to winning," Heather said to Lo as the latter walked past her. "Too bad the other one's a deadbeat!"

"Just because I stopped to sneeze?" Lo said back in response.

"Well, whose fault was that, huh? I seem to recall someone was off in their little imaginary world this morning, thinking she was catching some rays on the beach... when it was actually freezing outside!"

"Ugh!" Wyatt growled as he separated the two of them yet again. "Can't you girls go five minutes without wanting to tear each others' heads off?"

They didn't give a verbal response, but they were each glaring at the other.

"Reef... a little help?"

"Why?" Reef shrugged his shoulders. "Did you see what I just did? I can win this challenge all by myself!"

"Oh, brother..."

* * *

Despite Reef's lucky break, though, both teams struggled to get any stones into the scoring area at all. So the second, third, and even fourth ends passed without any scoring.

In the fifth end, Wyatt used his final stone to push Reef's second stone into the scoring rings. Harold had a chance to steal a point if he could get his stone in the right place. But though his throw was perfect at first glance, Lindsay, Jude, and Fin couldn't sweep it into the right place. The stone stopped inside the target circle, but much further outside than Reef's had come to rest.

Team Canada White led 2-0 after five ends.

The lead wouldn't last, as Harold used the failure to score in the previous end as lessons for how to approach the sixth end. With Lindsay and Jude getting two stones inside the circle early, their team spent the rest of the end defending them. Not that it mattered, as save for Reef's throws, none of Team Canada White's stones were getting to the target circle. That was because between Heather, Lo, and Reef... especially the two girls... their communication fell apart during sweeping, and they were getting closer and closer to tearing each apart.

Harold completed the end by getting his final stone into the circle. That gave Team Canada Red three points, and the lead.

They would add one in the seventh, but Team Canada White responded with one in the eighth. With the help of their coach, Team Canada Red employed defensive strategy to ensure the ninth went by with nobody scoring, especially thanks to a well-placed shot by Harold to knock the possible tying point out of the circle.

* * *

Team Canada Red led 4-3 as the action was rejoined near the finish of the tenth and final regulation end. Only two stones were left to throw, and it was Harold's turn to throw. Three stones sat in the target area: two yellow and one red. One of the yellows was almost at dead center, with the red a few feet to its right and the second yellow a couple feet in front of it and to the right. There was also another red stone sitting just inches from the front edge of the target.

Fin signaled to Harold, pointing at the yellow stone off the target's center as where to aim from. He nodded as he got ready to push off from the hacks. Lindsay and Jude stood with brooms ready.

Harold took a deep breath, and then pushed off. The moment he let go of the stone, Lindsay and Jude went to work.

"Light, light!" Fin shouted as the stone slid down the ice at a fair, but not too fast, pace.

Lindsay and Jude gently swept in front of the stone, per Fin's instructions. Then, as it crossed the hogline, they both backed off as it slid towards the yellow stones. Everyone watched as it hit the front yellow one from its right side. Harold's red stone then spun slowly out and collided lightly with the other red stone on the field, moving it a foot or two. Meanwhile, the first yellow stone had run into the second, causing another deflection. The first moved to its left, sliding a few feet, while the second yellow one was knocked out of the target zone, with the help of Wyatt sweeping the ice in its path.

With the two red stones now closer to the center button than the one yellow one still in the circle, it was going to come down to the last shot.

"All you have to do," Wyatt pointed out, "is knock that stone out, and we win!"

But Wyatt seemed to be talking to himself as he tried to figure out the best approach. Reef came over to discuss it with him.

"Just use power," Reef suggested, before pointing to the red stone closer to the front of the circle. "Knock it out of the park!"

As Heather and Lo walked over to put in their two cents, Harold and the rest of his team were weighing their chances of holding on to win.

"They need to push out both stones," Harold told them. "It's the only way to ensure victory."

"Can they do it?" Fin asked.

"Yes. But it won't be easy."

Meanwhile, Team Canada White had finished their conference and now all four team members were heading to their positions. Wyatt would be throwing the stone, but it would be up to Reef and the girls to make sure it got to the right place.

_(End Act Three)_

* * *

Wyatt was in position, ready to send his last stone on its way. After one last deep breath, he pushed off and sent it out along the ice.

"Hard!" Reef shouted. "Hard!"

Heather and Lo were sweeping as hard and fast as they could while keeping pace with the stone as it traversed the ice.

"Keep going! Hard! Go, go!"

They continued to press on, until the stone reached the hogline.

"Off, off!"

The girls backed away and watched as the red stone barreled towards the two yellow stones. It collided almost head-on with the first one and practically came to a complete stop. The first then almost instantly hit the second, sending that one out of the circle in a hurry. The yellow stone slowly slid towards the outside of the circle, and although it stayed in, it drifted enough to leave Wyatt's final red stone as the furthest one in.

Reef, Lo, and Heather rejoiced with glee, as the deciding two points were put on the board. Team Canada White had won, 5-4, much to the dismay of the members of Team Canada Red.

Allen immediately gathered the competitors together to formally announce the results.

"Great game, guys! Both super-teams did really well! But the winners, coming from behind in dramatic fashion... Team Canada White!"

Another celebratory round of cheers and hollers could be heard from Reef, Wyatt, Heather, and Lo. They all stood by as Allen then awarded them their imitation gold medals in curling.

"As the winners, each of you will receive a $1,000 scholarship to any Canadian college, university, or secondary-education institution of your choice. That will be beneficial to you in a year or two. The other part of winning this challenge is more helpful now... as all four of you will move onto the next round!"

Allen then turned to address Team Canada Red.

"Unfortunately, today, there can only be one winner and one loser. Team Canada Red, because you lost today's match, both of the teams that made up that super-team must now compete in an Elimination Challenge. The loser of that... will be sent home.

"Any comments on how you let this one get away, guys?"

Harold raised his hand to field the question.

"As skip, it was up to me to lead our team to victory. To put it mildly, I failed."

"To be fair," Fin stepped in, "in the end, it was a team effort. We win as a team, we lose as a team. Despite Heather and Lo not getting along over there, we still couldn't beat them. We didn't have what it took to win today."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Allen agreed. "There were times today when it looked like Heather and Lo's bickering would've doomed them to defeat. Wyatt, you somehow managed to keep the team from falling apart today. Good job."

"Thanks," Wyatt said in reply. "I think it's just came down to the fact that, maybe as much as the girls don't like each other, they also don't want to go home yet."

"Yeah," added Reef. "They'd rather be miserable with each other than angry that they went sent packing!"

"Well, thankfully," Allen directed at the girls, "the super-teams are only for this challenge. So you can go back to trying to off each other again tomorrow. But tonight, someone does have to go home. It's going to be... the Orange Team... or the Blue Team.

"Tonight's Elimination Challenge... 'Sudden Death Curling.' The two participating teams compete in two-on-two action. Each of the competitors gets one stone. Whichever one is not throwing will be solely responsible for sweeping the stone towards the center of the target.

"After everyone has thrown their stone, whichever team's stone is closest to the button while actually being in the target area, wins the challenge and stays in the competition. The other team is sent home. In the event that there are no stones present in the target area after two rounds, each participant will given another stone to try to score with, and the competition will continue on in that fashion until a winner can be declared.

"Do the two teams understand the rules?"

Fin, Jude, Harold, and Lindsay all nodded their heads.

"You have five minutes to strategize, and then we begin."

* * *

The Red and Brown Teams had moved up to the stands to get a better view of things. The Blue and Orange Teams were ready to go, and were just waiting for Allen to start things off.

"I don't know who to cheer for," Lo commented. "Harold and Lindsay are my alliance partners, but Fin's one of my best friends!"

"I know how you feel," Reef said in response. "I know Fin and I are close... but I could lose Lindsay! Do you know what it's going to be like without her around?"

"I'm sure Fin wouldn't mind finding out."

"Will you two pipe down?" Heather shouted. "They're about to begin!"

"Okay guys," Allen said to the Blue and Orange Teams. "We're going to have a coin flip to determine the throwing order. Blue Team, call it in the air."

Allen flipped the coin in the air...

"Heads," Harold called out.

...and it landed tails.

"Orange Team, you have won the toss! Do you want to go first or second?"

"Second," Fin quickly stated.

"Very well. Blue Team, as consolation, you get to choose which color stone you guys will use. Red or yellow?"

"We're going to go with yellow," replied Harold.

"Then let's get started."

Lindsay and Jude walked towards the stones, while Harold and Fin each picked up brooms. Once at the far end, Lindsay took a hold of one of the stones and got into position.

"Ready when you are, Lindsay!" Harold called out to her.

"Okey dokey!" Lindsay exclaimed.

With that, Lindsay pushed off the hacks and sent her stone flying down the course. Once she had let it loose, it was up to Harold to do the rest.

"C'mon, baby!" Harold mumbled to himself as he started sweeping at the ice in front of the stone.

The rock made its way down the ice and into the scoring zone. Harold doubled his efforts as he tried to guide it into the target area. His hard work paid off, as he got it to drift fully into the blue-colored outer ring before coming to a stop.

"Not bad," Harold breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Lindsay and giving her thumbs up.

"Yeah!" clapped Lindsay.

As Harold and Lindsay went to swap places, Jude grabbed a red stone and got ready for his lone throw.

"Alright, Jude!" Fin shouted at her teammate. "You got this!"

Jude set up his trajectory and pushed off. Once Jude had let it go, Fin tried to lead the rock, broom at the ready in case she had to help it along. But it was going fairly fast, and drifting towards the opposite side of the field from where Lindsay's stone had stopped. So fast, in fact, that it only started to slow down as it entered the scoring zone.

Fin tried to figure out if she should use her broom at all as the stone decelerated heavily as it entered the target area. She decided to let it go, and watched as it came to a stop at long last.

In the outer ring, but only halfway in and well past the button. Jude came down to see where it had stopped, only to see Fin point out that Lindsay's stone was closer.

"Bummer, dudette! I guess I put a little too much behind that one."

"We'll have to hope Harold doesn't do as well as Lindsay did, or we're in major trouble."

Speaking of Harold, he was calling Lindsay over to tell her something quickly. After a second or two, they returned to their positions and Harold grabbed a hold of a yellow stone.

"This is for all the marbles..."

Lindsay had an intense look on her face as she waited for Harold to send the stone on its way. Harold obliged by sliding forward and pushing his rock into play.

"Medium!" Harold called out as Lindsay started sweeping away.

As the stone glided on, Harold quickly noticed it was sliding to the right, and towards Lindsay's stone.

"Hard and straight! Pull it back! Center!"

Lindsay picked it up, as she attempted to get the stone to move in towards the button. It crossed over into the scoring zone just as Lindsay had straightened it out. She kept sweeping at it as it began to slow down dramatically. The stone slowly moved past Lindsay's own stone without touching it, but just barely, as Harold's drifted into the target area.

She kept working the broom as the stone slowly came to a stop, with three-quarters of it in the second outermost white ring and it positioned about a foot left of the center line.

"Whoa..." Wyatt observed in the stands. "That's gonna be tough to beat. Fin's going to have to try and knock that one out."

Sure enough, Fin was already figuring out how to accomplish that as Lindsay stepped away from the stone. Harold and Lindsay could now only watch and wait as Fin whispered her plan to Jude.

Everyone then saw Fin walk towards the hacks and her red stone. She got into position and tried to focus as she imagined the rock going down the ice the way she was envisioning.

Fin slowly counted down from three... and then she pushed off. Her fate lied in Jude's hands as she released her grip on the stone.

"Go... go!" she yelled.

It was going, but it was heading right in a hurry. Jude hastily started sweeping at the ice, trying to get it to reverse the direction. But by the time it slowed down enough for Jude's efforts to be fruitful, it was so far right that there was no way it would get back to the center line.

Realizing the inevitable, Jude lifted the broom off the ice and let the rock slide into the scoring zone and then the target area. It came to a stop in the outer blue ring, past the button.

"We did it!" exclaimed Harold after realizing they had won.

Lindsay hugged Harold, ecstatic that they had survived yet again. Jude and Fin graciously walked over and shook hands with their opponents, accepting their defeat with dignity.

"You guys own these things," Jude stated matter-of-factly.

"Good luck, guys," Fin wished upon the winning team.

Lo ran down from the stands to say goodbye to Fin. Reef and Wyatt proceeded there more calmly, but to also say their goodbyes.

"I'm gonna miss you," Lo whispered to Fin as they hugged.

"You take care of yourself, okay?"

"I guess it's all on you, dude," Jude said as he and Wyatt shook his hands.

"Last one from our show," Wyatt noted. "I've got my work cut out for me."

Once Fin and Lo were done, the surfing champion turned her attention to Reef.

"So..." Reef began, "I don't do emotional farewells that well, so..."

Fin was apparently worse, because all she could bring herself to do was wrap her arms around him. Getting the point, Reef did the same. The two stood there for a minute, not wanting to let each other go.

"Awww..." cooed Lindsay. "That's so sweet!"

Heather had finally made her way down, and was about to gag at the scene... when she was suddenly confronted by Jude, who had his arms wide open.

"Really? You expect us to hug?"

"Well, we were teammates. We didn't get along much... but we were still partners."

"Fine... if it'll get you out of here quicker."

Heather leaned in to hug her former teammate, and, surprisingly, smiled... as if she was saying goodbye to a good friend rather than an ex-teammate or rival. Jude smiled... just because he could.

"Just... don't think this means anything. Got it?"

"Naturally, bra!"

Once all the hugging was out of everyone's systems, especially Fin and Reef's, it was time to send the Orange Team on their way.

"For the second day in a row, and the third time in this competition," prefaced Allen, "the survivors of the Elimination Challenge are... the Blue Team!"

Harold and Lindsay got a round of applause for their survival.

"You two just refuse to go home, huh?"

"We're in it to win it, Allen!" Lindsay exclaimed. "Whether some people here like it or not!"

Lindsay had turned her attention back to her true enemy... Heather.

"Jude and Fin, I applaud you for making it this far. But, sadly, your time here has ended. It's time for you to go."

The two teens waved goodbye to the six survivors as they headed out. Actually, that wasn't quite enough for Fin, who lightly punched Reef in the right shoulder as she passed him.

"You better win this thing!"

Reef grinned from ear to ear. "I plan to!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Ugh!" Fin groaned. "To be that close and having to go out now? The worst part of it is now Reef can actually say he beat me at something. He's never gonna stop ragging me on that."

"I'm bummed, dude," remarked Jude. "Fin and I were the best team left... and we got totally thrashed by Harold and Lindsay. Say what you want about them, they definitely know how to survive in these elimination games."

"At least I met some great friends here. And a new sport to love... snowboarding! Now I know what I'm going to be doing every winter!"

"It was nice having to hang out with everyone. We got to do nothing but have fun for two weeks! Most awesome vacation ever!"

"Anything I would've done differently? Form an alliance to have gotten rid of Heather earlier! I can't believe I'm going home, and that girl's still gonna be here! I could live with myself if Reef wins this thing and rubs it in my face everyday. Can't say the same if mean queen walks off with it all."

"Different? Well, have more fun than I already had here, if that's even possible! And go Team Canada! Woo-hoo!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Jude and Fin had left the building, leaving the final six behind.

"Only three teams are left standing," Allen said to them. "Hope you all enjoyed one of the easiest days physically in the competition. Because you'd better bring 100 percent tomorrow for what I've got in store for you!

"Head on back... I'll catch you cats tomorrow!"

The final six made their way to the exit. The end was getting closer for them... only a few days left to go.

To be continued...

* * *

(The next 'Fresh from Canada' is the most shocking episode yet...)

"There were some things about yesterday's competition that I didn't like," Allen said to the six teenagers.

(And it starts in the first few minutes...)

"I want you... to give me your scarf, my dear. It's over."

Everyone gasped as she stepped forward.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"This isn't how I expected it to end," Wyatt gasped in shock.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(But the hardest hits are going to come on the ice...)

"Meet your trainers for today..."

Before she knew it, Lindsay was hit in the back of the head with an 80-mph flying puck! The hit instantly sent her to the ice, knocking her unconscious.

"Nice using your head!" Reef called from afar.

Wyatt was getting confused as the kids flew around the ice, aggressively going after the puck.

"We just got served," a stunned Harold admitted.

(And there's this...)

"The good news, is that the kids aren't your opponents. The bad news is... these guys are..."

The six competitors freaked when they saw Trent lead a group of booted contestants onto the ice.

"This is a nightmare," Heather shook her head in disbelief. "My worst nightmare!"

(With three episodes left, you don't want to miss this one...)

Trent and Reef were fighting for a puck behind the net when Cody suddenly comes in and body-checked Reef into the glass.

"Ooh, that was not pretty," Fin winced.

("Fresh from Canada"... new episode coming Monday, June 21st!)


	9. Episode Eight

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Eight  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Not that I like evoking Jen," Heather admitted as she looked the horrendously messy apartment over, "but this place is a total pig sty!"

The eight remaining competitors were charged with cleaning house...

"Should we be really throwing this out?" Jude asked as he took another bite. "This pizza tastes even better aged!"

"Ugh," Wyatt nearly gagged, "don't make me picture that mental image!"

But they would end up doing some sweeping of a different kind...

"Today's Olympic event... curling!"

"What do we look like, old people?" Reef questioned. "How about something **FUN**?"

Which required a little rearrangement of teams...

"Jude and Fin, you two will form Super-Team Number 1 with Harold and Lindsay! That means by default... Wyatt, Lo, Reef, and Heather will make up Super-Team Number 2."

But that didn't agree with everyone...

"**HEY!**" Heather yelled. "**LISTEN TO ME THIS TIME!**"

"Speaking of someone I actually **DO** want to hit..." murmured Lo.

"What was that?" Heather asked, walking up behind her with her own broom in hand.

"Nothing you should be concerned about, Heather."

"Well, maybe I should hear it anyway, Lo."

Somehow, though, the girls pulled it together as their team won...

Reef, Lo, and Heather rejoiced with glee, as the deciding two points were put on the board. Team Canada White had won, 5-4, much to the dismay of the members of Team Canada Red.

Placing Team Canada White in the Elimination Challenge...

"Alright, Jude!" Fin shouted at her teammate. "You got this!"

"We did it!" exclaimed Harold after realizing they had won.

Which ended with Harold and Lindsay surviving yet again, and the journey coming to an end for Jude and Fin...

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"At least I met some great friends here. And a new sport to love... snowboarding! Now I know what I'm going to be doing every winter!"

"It was nice having to hang out with everyone. We got to do nothing but have fun for two weeks! Most awesome vacation ever!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

But the vacation is over this week, folks! The three remaining teams will learn that in the most punishing Olympic challenge yet! That's tonight on... 'Fresh from Canada!'"

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

After a long day on the ice, the three remaining teams returned to their apartments looking to get some rest. Well, the boys were, anyway. The girls, on the other hand...

"You're just lucky we won today," Heather said aloud. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

Her comment was directed towards Lo, who wasn't about to take it sitting down.

"You should be grateful that you're still here!" she shouted in response. "Someone like you doesn't deserve to win! You and your ruthless attitude! You don't even care how many toes you have to step on to get you want!"

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Really, rich girl? You're telling me that, with all the money you have, you don't force people to do what you want?"

"That's different, it's their jobs! They're paid to do that!"

"And that makes it any better? Face it, honey... you're no different than I am."

"That's not true, and you know it!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

As the two girls starting yelling at each other once again, Lindsay sat in the middle of it all, quietly spooning her way through a small yogurt cup. But she wouldn't remain out of it for long...

"Lindsay!" they both shouted at the blonde girl. "Which one of us is right?"

"I dunno... I think both of you are right."

Heather and Lo stood in stunned silence, unable to grasp Lindsay's answer.

"Lo, you do kind of make people do things for you."

"Like what?"

"What do you mean 'like what?' Yesterday, you somehow convinced me to do the vacuuming!"

"Wasn't that the task I assigned you to do?" Heather glared at Lo.

"And risk getting dust in my hair before going to bed? Are you nuts? Oh, and besides, I need my beauty sleep."

"You need your sleep, and yet, you joined the rest of us for that movie **AND** then decided to sunbathe on the roof early this morning!"

"Hey! May I remind you that I nearly came down with a cold because of that!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you made Wyatt do things for you!"

"I don't do that all! I mean, I could if I wanted to... but I didn't! And again, who are you to talk... the way you manipulate people like... like... me!"

"I only manipulate people who will help me win the competition... and are too stupid to realize that fact."

"Like me too?" Lindsay shouted at Heather. "You used me!"

"Hello, Lindsay... that was how long ago?"

"Out of all of the people that could've been in the final six, I can't believe nobody has voted you off this freaking show yet!"

"What can I say... you people keep trying, but you don't realize that every time you try to knock me out, I come back even stronger! Face it... if I can outlast girls like Courtney, Jen, Fin, and even Gwen, then what chance do the two of you have?"

Lindsay and Lo both growled in anger.

* * *

As the yelling got louder, the boys in the apartment next door were starting to take an interest in the arguments.

Maybe.

"It's getting kind of rowdy over there," Wyatt said aloud. "Maybe we should go separate them. They are our teammates, after all."

He looked at Harold and Reef, who were seated at the counter playing a card game. Reef smiled as he placed down a card that had a cannon and read 'Pay 3 attack tokens to deal out 20 points of damage to opponent.'

"Ha! Sunk your battleship!"

Harold slammed his cards down in frustration.

"I told you, you can't use that card unless you have three creatures in your discard pile and I actually have a battleship to be sunk!"

Reef rolled his eyes. "You see, this is why I hate card games. The only reason there's so many complicated rules is so that only nerds like you actually understand what's going on, giving you an unfair advantage! Why do I have to pay an arm and leg just to shoot at your scrawny, little head?"

"That would make sense if you knew what the heck you were actually talking about!"

"Uh, guys..." Wyatt prompted again.

"And Wyatt, I say let the girls bitch and moan! I honestly don't see the point of butting in. Now, if it became a catfight..."

Reef was then cut off by the sound of a lamp breaking.

"Now, I'm interested!"

Reef hopped out of his seat, throwing his cards aside in the process, and ran for the door. Harold and Wyatt quickly followed, the former pocketing his hand of cards en route.

* * *

The boys ran to the girls' apartment, and saw Heather and Lo on the floor, wrestling around, as Lindsay watched, cheering the latter on. Both girls started flailing their arms in the direction of the other, hoping to land a hit across the other's face.

"Now **THAT'S** what I'm talking about!" Reef shouted.

"As mesmerizing as this may be," commented Harold, "may I duly note that we are five stories up and that they are rolling closer to the balcony with every passing second?"

"Point taken," Wyatt said, not hesitating to run in to break up the fight.

Wyatt reached in to pull Lo off of Heather. But as he looped his arms underneath Lo's to lift her, Lindsay grabbed Wyatt and tried to pull him away.

"A friend of Heather's is an enemy of mine!"

"Friend? Are you crazy?"

Harold then grabbed Lindsay by the waist and tried to get her to let go of Wyatt.

"We're all on the same side!"

"If you're with Wyatt, then you're with Heather!"

"Will you listen what I'm saying to you, woman!"

As Harold tugged at Lindsay, who was pulling Wyatt, who was holding Lo back, Heather sat up, amused by the scene unfolding in front of her. Reef, though, was already hysterical with laughter.

"I could watch this all night!" he chuckled.

* * *

Unfortunately for Reef, the producers weren't willing to let the incident escalate any further, and they stepped in to separate everyone. Eventually, Wyatt managed to get Lo calmed down and escorted her out of the apartment.

That left Heather, Lindsay, Harold, and Reef to assess what happened. That is, after both of the girls were talked to by the producers.

"I never realized how catty all the girls on this show are," observed Harold. "They're all so confrontational."

"They should take a lesson from us guys," Reef said in response. "We let our actions speak for us. None of this 'let's throw hurtful words at each other' crap."

"This all could have been avoided," Heather began, "if Lindsay here didn't straddle the fence and had picked a side!"

"I have nothing to say to you," Lindsay turned away. "I'm trying to not get kicked off this show."

"Kicked off?" Harold asked. "Why would they do that?"

"Because," explained Heather, "the network has a rule against us competitors trying to physically hurt one another. The producers told us that anyone in violation of that rule is subject to being expelled from the game."

"But weren't both of you trying to hurt each other?"

"She started it!"

"But you provoked her into attacking!" Lindsay cut in.

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did!"

Lindsay lunged at Heather, but Harold grabbed his teammate before she could reach for Heather's neck.

"See?" Heather shouted, looking at the producers as she pointed at Lindsay. "Another crazy person that I have to live with! Don't you see my personal safety is at stake here?"

One of the producers came over and helped Harold pull Lindsay away from Heather and out of the apartment.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Okay," commented Reef, "this just went from a barrel of laughs to dark and grim. These girls have snapped! I definitely don't want to be in this apartment tonight!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

A little while later, the two producers got back together and came to a temporary decision.

"For your own safety, they're letting you sleep somewhere else?"

"That's right, Harold," replied Harold. "Until they come to a final decision as to what to do, they're putting me somewhere where I won't be at risk for being attacked in my sleep!"

Heather had a small bag of some of her belongings packed, which she took with her as she walked out of the apartment.

* * *

Meanwhile, Wyatt and Lo had made their way down to the lobby and outside into the night, where the latter was voicing her disgust over the incident as she paced back and forth in front of the building entrance.

"Ugh!" Lo screamed. "That witch is intolerable! I can't believe she said that I was the one who attacked her!"

"So Heather's lying?"

"Why does there have to be people like her in the world, who just like to start crud up like that?"

"You're saying Heather attacked you first?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm rich! I never asked for any special privileges! Well, okay, there was the sightseeing thing, and the need to go shopping, and the request for 1200 thread count bed sheets... but that's not the point!"

"Lauren... will you just answer the question!"

Lo gasped, stopping in her tracks.

"Heather's the only other person to call me by my actual name! You're... you're really serious!"

"I only know what little the guys and I could hear through the wall! I want to help you get through this, but first you need to tell me the truth! Who initiated the attack? You or Heather?"

Lo slowly turned her gaze down towards her feet. She didn't need to tell Wyatt the answer verbally... her actions spoke for her. Wyatt reached out to comfort his teammate, and she quickly took him up on the offer, running over and burying her face in his chest as tears started to flow from her eyes.

Her crying was muffled by Wyatt's shirt as she leaned forward, placing her entire weight in his hands. He wrapped his arms around her back and then just stood there, letting her get it all out.

_(End Act One)_

* * *

After allowing her to cry freely for a few minutes, Wyatt eventually coaxed his teammate to a nearby bench. Once they were settled, Lo finally opened up about what actually happened.

"So we were arguing about whether or not I make people do everything for me," Lo explained, "then when Lindsay got involved, Heather started putting the both of us down! She told us we were nothing compared to Fin and the other girls that already got sent home."

"So then what happened?"

"I don't know... it, it all happened so fast..."

"Just tell me what you remember..."

"Well... Heather kept saying things about how Lindsay was only still around because of her body, not her brains. And then she said I'm only still around because nobody thinks I'm a challenge, and everyone would win against me if the final event was a one-on-one showdown!"

"She said that? Really?"

Lo nodded. "Wait... you don't think that, do you?"

"Of course not! Especially not after the cross-country skiing event!"

"Exactly, right? That's what I told her! But she only sees that as a lucky flake. She then said... other things to that degree... but at some point, I just couldn't take it anymore!"

"So you hit her?"

"I didn't hit her at all! I lunged at her, and before I knew it, we were both on the ground wrestling! You pretty much know the rest..."

"Uh huh... so you never threw a punch, yet you attacked her."

"After she provoked me! I thought you were on my side, Wyatt!"

"I am, I am! I'm just trying to figure out how to explain this to the producers! You do still want to be here, right?"

"Of course I do! I refuse to go home! At least, not before she does!"

"Then help me out here... how sure are you that Heather made you attack her?"

"One-hundred percent! You know her... she'd do anything to get rid of me! I don't like her, and she doesn't like me!"

"Okay... let me have a talk with the producers. Maybe I can convince them not to kick you off the show."

"Thanks, Wyatt! You're the best partner a girl could ever have!"

"Yeah..." an unsure Wyatt scratched his head. "Don't thank me yet. I have no idea if I can sway them or not."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Wyatt, Lo, Lindsay, and Harold were all gathered in the girls' apartment to hear the result of Wyatt's inquiry.

"The good news is that I bought you some time," Wyatt told his partner, "They're still trying to piece together the truth..."

"But I told you the truth!"

"I know you did. But you told them your side, Heather told hers. They don't match up."

"I was here during the whole thing!" exclaimed Lindsay. "I'm pretty sure I told them the same thing Lo did."

"Doesn't Lindsay's account matter?" Lo asked. "It's two against one!"

"I concur," added Harold. "Heather has no one to back up her side, which makes it more difficult for her to believable. Even if she's telling the truth."

"Hey!"

"I said **IF**, Lindsay!"

"They're not going to make a decision 'til morning," Wyatt explained.

"So... do you think that's good news for me?"

"I don't know, Lauren... they didn't seem to be sure themselves which way they were leaning."

"If she gets sent home," Lindsay declared. "Then they'll have to send me home too!"

"What?" Harold protested.

"Like I said... if Lo wasn't here, I probably would've attacked Heather myself! She's... she's anything but a nice girl, you know?"

"You don't have to do that!"

"Could you imagine me having to last these final few days with Heather as the only other girl to talk to? I'd rather spend them with you than with her!"

Lo shed a tear as she reached across the table and hugged Lindsay.

"I'm so glad I have you as a friend. I'm glad I have all of you as friends! Regardless of what happens from here on out."

"Never forget... we're behind you all the way!" Wyatt told her.

* * *

The rest of the night passed without incident, though mostly everyone found it hard to sleep peacefully with Lo's fate in the hands of the production staff.

But there was still no news until late the next morning, when the six teenagers received a message via iPhone.

"Departure is at 10:30," Harold read aloud to Wyatt and Reef. "Recommended attire is short sleeve shirt and sweatpants. Also, bring your team-colored scarves with you."

"I guess this means they're telling us at the event site," guessed Wyatt. "I wonder how Lo is feeling this morning."

* * *

All eyes were on Heather as she was the last one to step into the van. Even her teammate Reef wasn't comfortable sitting next to her.

"Fine then!" she scoffed at them. "You think I care what the rest of you think of me?"

No one wanted to vocalize a response.

"That's what I thought."

* * *

After a short trip, the van pulled up to its destination... General Motors Place, the home of Vancouver's pro NHL team, the Canucks.

"Ice hockey!" Reef shouted excitedly. "Finally... I've been waiting for this since day one!"

He seemed to be the only one thrilled, though, as everyone else had their minds on what was going to happen to Lo. The decision was going to come quick, apparently, as Allen was waiting for them once they stepped inside and onto the concourse.

"Good morning," Allen greeted the six remaining competitors.

"Mornin'," a few of them meekly greeted back.

"We've got a great Olympic competition lined up for you six today, but we have some other business to take care of first. There were some things about yesterday's competition that I didn't like. On top of that, apparently, there was an incident back at the apartments last night following yesterday's challenge."

Allen looked disappointed as he massaged the bridge of his nose with his right thumb and middle finger.

"You know, on certain reality shows that some of you may have competed on before, they allowed you to physically let out your physical frustrations on each other for the sake of ratings. But, if you had read your contracts when you designed to sign on, you would know that we aren't as lenient.

"And I paraphrase, 'anyone who engages in an act that may be seen as endangerment to the health and safety of one competitor, no matter the consequences, may result in the termination of the engager's contract, regardless of the reasons why the act occurred in the first place.'

"That being said, Lo, would you please step forward?"

Everyone gasped as she stepped forward. Once she had taken two steps, she glanced back at the others, who had a myriad of reactions... from distraught to ignorance.

"Regardless of any provoking on Heather's part, you still had the choice to not start a physical fight with her... and yet you did."

Lo nodded silently, as if she knew what was coming next.

"I want you... to give me your scarf, my dear. It's over."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"This isn't how I expected it to end," Wyatt gasped in shock.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Lo slowly pulled her brown-colored scarf off from her shoulders, folded it in half, and then handed it to him. As Allen placed the scarf on a covered table behind him, Lo turned around and was about to walk over to the others to say her goodbyes.

"Hold on... I'm not done yet."

Everyone turned their attention back to Allen, who was holding a white box.

"Wait..." Heather thought out loud, "are you giving her a consolation prize?"

"Not exactly..."

Lo reached into the box and, to her surprise, pulled out a brand new white scarf! But not just any white scarf... it also had the Fresh TV, Inc. logo on it, as well as the Canadian flag embroidered on it.

"What's going on?" Harold asked, confused.

"Well, after looking at all the facts, and the cameraman's footage of the incident, the producers decided that instead of kicking Lo out of the game, they'd let her and Heather stay, hoping you two could find a peaceful way to resolve things."

"What?" Heather shouted. "But she attacked me!"

"After you provoked me," Lo shot back.

"Hmmm... they thought this would happen, so..."

Allen pulled out a second white box from under the covered table and threw it in Heather's direction.

"They figure maybe things would work out if you two were on the same team."

Heather pulled out a white scarf, unhappy about her new forced partnership. But before she or Lo could voice even more displeasure at this arrangement, Allen produced a third box, and this time threw it in Lindsay's direction...

"Heads up!"

...who wasn't paying attention, and ended up on her butt after the box clocked her in the head, sending her down.

"Ooh... I hope you're not planning on making that a habit today..."

Wyatt gasped. "Wait... you're not turning this into a battle of the sexes, are you?"

"That's so awesome!" exclaimed Reef before pointing at the girls. "You chicks are going down!"

"Ha ha ha," laughed Allen, "no."

Three more white boxes, three more white scarves.

"You are no longer three teams of two! You have now been merged... into one team of six!"

* * *

After a quick change so that now they were all wearing the new white scarves, and a trip down to the hockey rink below, a new set of questions came about.

"If this is the merge," Harold began, "then why are we one team, instead of six individuals?"

"Good question, as I'm about to..."

"Better question," interrupted Heather. "Why did you guys decide not to kick Lo off after all? Did she do a Courtney and pay you off?"

"Hey, I'm cut off, remember?" Lo yelled angrily.

"The producers found you as much as fault for the incident as Lo. In fact, if they were going to send her home, you would've been going with her."

"No way!"

"You're just lucky the producers realized this event would be impossible to pull off with only four people on one of the teams. And on that note... you're all on one team for today's competition only. Though, in general, you are six individuals competing for the grand prize."

"Um... could you run that by me again?" Lindsay asked. "I'm majorly confused."

Allen sighed. "Maybe it's better if I do this..."

"Do what?" Reef asked.

Suddenly, the sound of children screaming filled the air, spooking the competitors as about a dozen boys and girls rushed out from the entrance to the locker room, all dressed in hockey gear.

"Competitors... meet your challengers!"

The kids hooted and hollered as they took their place opposite the six teenagers, all looking hungry and ready for a beatdown.

_(End Act Two)_

* * *

"You're kidding, right?" Reef asked, trying to keep from laughing. "We're playing against these brats?"

"I wouldn't call them brats," warned Allen. "These boys and girls make up the area's regional all-star co-ed ice hockey team for kids seven-to-nine years old. And trust me, they're far from pushovers..."

Allen then started snickering uncontrollably, drawing confusion now from the entire group of teenagers.

"How is **THAT** funny?" a miffed Heather asked.

"I guess I can't keep it secret anymore. Meet your trainers for today. They will be teaching you all the ins and outs of how to play today's Olympic event, ice hockey!"

"Yeah!" all the kids shouted in unison.

"But isn't ice hockey an aggressive sport where those little round things fly at ridiculous speeds all over the ice and players get slammed into the sides of the rink?" asked a concerned Lo.

"Yeah," Reef smiled, rubbing his hands together. "My kind of game!"

"You've already learned how to skate," Allen told them. "You just have to learn the game. Kids... you have an afternoon to school these teenagers. Have fun!"

With that, the kids were let loose, and they charged at the teens.

* * *

After a change into more appropriate practice attire and protective gear, two kids were paired with each of the teens, and the lessons began.

"Okay, so the objective is to get the puck into the net..."

Two of the girls were showing Lo how to use a hockey stick. Too bad, then, that she was gripping it like a golf club.

"Fore!"

And swinging it like one too, as she launched the puck off the ice and up into the seats. Lo chuckled at her mistake.

"Out of bounds... so that's like a stroke penalty, right?"

"Some... thing like that..."

Meanwhile, Harold was trying his hand at being a goalie.

"This sounds simple enough..." he noted.

One of his young male helpers then fired a single puck at him. Harold attempted to move his legs to block it, but his gear was too heavy and he was unable to do so! He watched helplessly as the puck slid underneath him and into the goal.

"Then again..."

The kid fired a second puck, this one a little higher so that it would be blocked by Harold's body even if he couldn't move. Unfortunately, it wasn't high enough, as it made a direct hit...

With Harold's little ones downstairs.

Harold let out a scream muffled mostly by his goalie mask, but his pain was obvious as he fell on his side and reached for his neither regions. His two 'tutors' came over to check on him.

"You **DO** realize you're supposed to wear a cup, right?" one of them told him.

The second snickered. "He do now! Man, he dropped like a fly!"

"Eeeee..." Harold managed to squeal.

Elsewhere on the ice, Wyatt was getting confused as the kids flew around the ice, aggressively going after the puck. They were trying to teach him how to steal from opponent, but they were dodging his moves at every attempt.

"Shouldn't you be taking it easy on me?"

"Opponents are never easy!" one of the kids shouted.

He then skated off after the one with the puck.

"Catch me if you can!"

As for Lindsay, she was near center ice, being taught by a brother-sister duo how to win face-offs.

"The key is to time it so that your stick hits the puck just as it lands," they told her.

But before she knew it, Lindsay was hit in the back of the head with an 80-mph flying puck! The hit instantly sent her to the ice, knocking her unconscious.

"Nice using your head!" Reef called from afar.

The brother started poking Lindsay to see if she would wake up.

"Um, can we get a medic over here?" the sister called out.

* * *

After hours of practice, five of the teens collapsed on the home team's bench, exhausted over the intense work-out. They were joining Lindsay there, who had since regained consciousness and was holding a large ice pack up to a bump on the back of her head.

Allen skated over to the six teens.

"Hope you guys aren't too tired to eat!"

"You've got food for us?" Harold asked.

"Yep. Uniforms for the game, also. Guys in the home team's locker room, gals in the visitor's. You've got two hours to recuperate and get your energy back up for game time!"

* * *

Upon entering the locker room, the boys rejoiced at seeing the small spread of sandwiches, pizza, and sodas waiting for them. They immediately went to work chipping away at the pile.

"It's a feast fit for hockey kings!" Reef exclaimed between bites.

"I haven't eaten anything this delicious since breakfast," commented Harold.

"It's because we haven't eaten anything since breakfast," recalled Wyatt.

* * *

A little bit later, over in the girls' locker room, most of their spread had been left untouched. They had already moved onto their mostly white uniform tops and black pants.

"I'm lovin' these unis!" exclaimed Lindsay, as she came out from behind the lockers with the whole outfit on.

"Eeee!" squealed Lo. "That looks great on you!"

"I know, right?"

* * *

At around 6:45 pm, the six teenagers marched back out to the ice for the big game. They were dressed in their Team Canada replica uniforms, and they all had helmets in hand as they skated to the center line, where Allen was waiting for them.

Without warning, all of the lights in the arena went out. That is, save for one spotlight that was focused on Allen.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Allen spoke into a microphone that he had produced out of thin air, "welcome to Canada Hockey Place, one of two sites being used for ice hockey games at next month's Winter Olympics! Now... it's time for tonight's exhibition game, between the Fresh from Canada team and the visiting All-Stars team!"

"This ought to be cute," noted Wyatt. "We're about to get beat by hockey stars half our age."

"On the contrary," Allen said in response. "I've got some good news and bad news for you guys."

"I doubt anything can be worse than being schooled by brats," Heather remarked.

"The good news, is that the kids aren't your opponents. The bad news is... these guys are..."

The lights came on and Allen pointed the teens towards the locker room exit. The six competitors freaked when they saw Trent lead a group of booted contestants onto the ice.

"Noooooo!" shouted Reef.

"This can't be!" gasped Harold.

"This is a nightmare," Heather shook her head in disbelief. "My worst nightmare!"

Dressed in the nearly all-red Team Canada replica uniforms, the six teenagers that made up the last three teams eliminated from the competition stood across from the six remaining competitors, also dressed and ready to play hockey.

_(End Act Three)_

* * *

Harold, Heather, Lindsay, Lo, Reef, and Wyatt were in shock as they stared across at their opponents: Cody, Fin, Gwen, Jen, Jude, and Trent.

"Wait... how are they the All-Stars?" Heather asked.

"Simple," answered Cody. "Because if progress in this game was determined exclusively by athletic talent, it would be us six that would still be in the competition... not you guys!"

"That makes no sense!" retaliated Reef. "I know I'm better than you, and certainly all the girls..."

"What?" Gwen and Jen shouted at him.

"Hold up," Fin held them both back. "You can both prove 'em wrong when the puck drops."

Lo turned to Allen. "Are you allowing trades? I want to be on the side that's going to win."

"Thanks a lot," Wyatt growled at her, which made Lo quickly move to modify statement.

"Oh, I mean... as long as Wyatt gets to come along with me."

"Hey!" exclaimed Lo's other four 'teammates.'

"The answer is no," Allen told her, "and you don't even know what you're playing for yet."

"That's right!" Harold exclaimed. "Waiting for the last moment, are we?"

"Harold's got a point," Trent noted. "What are we playing for?"

"The 'Fresh from Canada' team is playing for survival," explained the host, "while the 'All-Stars' team is playing for control of their survival."

"I know I'm not Lindsay," prefaced Fin, "but can you run that by us again?"

"Yes!" added Lindsay. "Because she's not me! I'm me!"

Allen tried to make things more clearer.

"You guys will be playing a traditional six-on-six ice hockey game. All of the normal rules of an official Olympic match apply... with two exceptions. You will be playing only one 20-minute period instead of three. And if the score is tied after that time has elapsed, the game immediately goes into a shootout. No overtime!

"As for incentive to win... well, there's plenty. If the 'Fresh' team wins, they'll get to pick their own MVP, who in turn will decide which two of the other five members of the team gets thrown into our first individual Elimination Challenge! But if the 'All-Stars' team wins, they'll choose who the 'Fresh' MVP is, and then decide which two of you six to throw into the Elimination Challenge. In that scenario, the MVP does not get immunity."

"Wait..." Jude tried to gather. "So we're not playing to get back in the game? We're playing just for pride?"

"Well, not just pride... the fact to help decide who might get sent home next."

"What's the point?" Jen asked, a little ticked. "No matter what happens, none of us can take someone's place in the game? Like, I dunno... Heather's?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry, we don't do that 'second chances' thing. As for whichever of the six competitors is awarded MVP, they'll get handsomely rewarded for their honor. They'll get a Team Canada hockey prize package, which includes replicas of all their equipment, plus jerseys signed by all the coaches and players on both the men's and women's ice hockey national teams! In short, it's going to be priceless!"

"Now I'm stoked about winning this!" Harold gleamed with excitement.

* * *

It didn't take long for the 'All-Stars' to decide their line-up, as Trent took up center, Fin and Jude were the wings, Jen and Gwen lined up as defensemen, and Cody was in goal. Once their opposition was set, the 'Canada' team took to the ice, with Reef at center, Lindsay and Heather as wings, Wyatt and Lo as defensemen, and Harold as the goalie.

"I'm soooo scared Lindsay is your third strongest offensive player," Fin fake-shivered in Heather's direction.

"She's there just to distract. Besides, surfer girl... you're gonna be too busy with me to worry about her!"

The three referees took to the ice, and the clock was set for 20 minutes. The head referee skated towards the center face-off circle, where Trent and Reef were ready.

"Ready to get shut down?" Reef smirked confidently.

"What makes you think I'm the one getting shut down?" Trent shot back.

The two boys growled at each other as the official held the puck at waist-length, and then a second later released it, letting it fall to the ice.

The game was underway, as the two fought for the puck. It was quickly knocked to the outside, where Jude claimed it with his stick before Lindsay even had a chance to react! Wyatt started sliding in his direction to Jude, but he made a bold move by pulling his stick back and firing hard in the direction of the goal.

"Whoa!" Wyatt shouted, just ducking out of the way in time.

Harold motioned to block, but the puck flew by him to the right, outside of the goal post and to the wall behind the net. It deflected and slid out to the other side, where Lo claimed it. She swung her stick at the puck, and on contact sent it flying into the air as if it were a golf ball. Players on both teams scrambled to get into position to get it just outside the blue line of Team Fresh.

As it landed on the ice, Trent swung at it and missed, allowing Reef to poke it out to Heather, who had gotten behind Fin after she had come up to offer support. That forced Jen to step up. But as she did, Heather poked the puck in-between her opponent's legs.

Skating around Jen, Heather charged into the attack zone, as she saw Gwen rushing over from the other side of the ice to try and stop her.

"Not today!"

Heather took the shot before Gwen was close enough to deflect the puck. Cody dropped to his knees to block. But he guessed wrong, as the puck whizzed by his right ear and into the net.

"Goal!" Heather exclaimed, as the goal siren went off.

Heather raised her arms in jubilation, before being congratulated by Reef. Back on the defensive end, Wyatt, Lo, and Harold were all high-fiving each other. Meanwhile, Jen was apologizing to her teammates for her mistake.

* * *

After the early mistake, Team All-Stars settled in and played their positions. But the game hastily turned into an offensive affair, as the best players on the ice were almost exclusively the centers and forwards. The puck bounced back and forth between the attack zones, as both teams went for up-tempo strategies.

"C'mon!" Heather shouted as she tangled with Fin along the boards for the puck.

It quickly became a four-person scramble as Lo and Trent rushed over to get involved. Eventually, the puck was knocked out from the wall and back towards center. Trent got to it and tried to pass to the other side to Jude. But Wyatt cut it off and sent the puck back out.

"Got it!" yelled Reef.

Taking the puck at his defensive blue line, Reef charged towards the other end. Once past the other blue line, he was met by Gwen, who reached in and knocked the puck away. But Lindsay, for once, was paying attention and was right behind to get the loose puck. As Reef rushed past Gwen towards the goal, Lindsay slowed into a holding pattern as Jen stood a few feet in front of her, deciding this time to react rather than act.

"Here!" Reef called out.

Lindsay slapped the puck across the ice, but at such an angle that instead of going towards Reef, it was heading for the goal. Reef raced to get it...

And forgot about Cody the goalie, whom he ran into and knocked over just as the net-minder was about to smother the puck with his glove. Gwen quickly raced in and cleared the puck out before it could cross the goal line, just as the referee on that end raised an arm up to signal a delayed penalty call.

One that became an actual call when Heather's stick made contact with the puck just outside the zone.

"Two minutes for interference!" shouted the referee. "Number 6, White!"

"Oh, come on!" Reef shouted as another official escorted him to the penalty box. "What kind of penalty is interference, anyway?"

As Reef took a seat, Jen had gathered her team to discuss power play strategy.

"Okay, gang, we've got a great chance to even this up! Here's my plan..."

* * *

The power play began with Fin matching up with Heather in the face-off circle. Fin won, easily getting the puck out to Trent, who immediately raced out to goal. Heather attempted to chase, but Fin rammed a shoulder into her to knock the mean girl to the ice.

Trent led Jude and Jen into the attack zone. As Jude led Lindsay off on a chase, Fin joined Jude and Jen in a three-on-two against Lo and Wyatt. They passed the puck amongst each other, looking for the best opportunity to take a shot. Then, upon Jen noticing Heather trying to help Lo double-team her, she got it out to Fin, who one-timed the puck right at Harold.

Harold reached up and knocked the puck out of the air, but Trent was right there for the rebound, quickly getting around Harold, who had left the opposite side of the net unguarded.

Trent slapped the puck in for the score. The game was tied!

"Yes!" Trent exclaimed, raising his hand in triumph.

Fin, Jen, and Jude all gave their teammate high-fives as they celebrated. They then skated back to center ice, where Gwen and Cody joined them. Heather was not happy as she dragged her team together, just as Reef was released from the penalty box.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I don't care what I have to do!" Heather shouted. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to win this game. And win or lose, I'm going to be the MVP... because I'm not letting anyone have the satisfaction of sending me home tonight!"

"I loved the look on Heather's face after Trent scored," Gwen said with a smile. "She's already desperate... that's a good sign for my team!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Sure enough, Heather had called a timeout to do a goalie change. Though the period was about half over and the score was tied, she wasn't taking any chances, as she made Harold take off the goalie mask and pads...

And made Lindsay put them on, to the chagrin of the rest of the team.

"This isn't fair!" declared Harold. "That was the first shot in 13 I let through!"

"13 is an unlucky number... and I'm not risking luck being a factor in deciding the outcome of this game! You're taking Lindsay's place on the wing."

"Our problem is defense!" Wyatt said aloud. "Lo and I don't match up well against Trent, Fin, Jude, Jen... pretty much everyone on their team!"

"Make it work, because I'm not sitting back and settling for a draw. This isn't soccer, people... we're playing to win!"

* * *

Despite her team's objections, though, the move seemed to work, as the competitive balance amongst the forwards was evened. The puck bounced amongst the centers and wings continuously, very rarely getting to the defensemen, much less the goalies.

In fact, over the next seven minutes, each team would record only one shot on goal apiece, and both Cody and Lindsay had no problem turning those chances aside.

But exhaustion was setting in as the final minutes started to tick away. Play was becoming sloppy, as people were missing passes and drifting off-sides on potential breakaways.

A couple of quick back-to-back penalties sent Wyatt, for tripping Fin while attempting to intercept a pass, and Trent, for hooking as he tried to keep Reef from receiving a pass.

* * *

But then things started getting real rough when Gwen, trying to bring the puck up the ice and out of her defensive zone, got rammed into the boards by Heather. Heather didn't even get time to smile, as the ref quickly blew the whistle on her.

"Two minute minor, charging by number 2, white!"

"Charging?" argued Heather. "How the hell is that charging?"

Gwen was not happy as Jen and Fin helped her to her feet.

"That was a cheap shot," Gwen grumbled.

Heather didn't hear Gwen's accusation, as she was still arguing with the official over the call. Gwen dropped her stick on the ice and started to take off her gloves and she headed towards Heather.

But her female teammates reacted quickly, holding her back. Heather missed it all as she finally gave in and joined Wyatt in the box, while Jude signaled for a timeout.

The teams went over to the bench, where Team All-Stars tried to calm Gwen down.

"That's just like Heather," she complained. "She was trying to take me out!"

"Regardless, we need to change things up if we're going to pull ahead," Jen told her team. "Cody... I'm taking you out of goal."

"What?"

"I love the job you're doing as goalie, but you're by far the person with the most energy left. You need to be an attacker."

"But who are we putting in my place?"

Jen mulled her options: Jude, Gwen, Fin, or herself. But then, one of them stepped forward to volunteer.

"I'll do it," Fin declared.

* * *

The game clock read 2:21, with a :45 4-on-3 advantage for Team All-Stars, where Jen and Cody were now up front, Gwen and Jude were on defense, and Fin was goalie. With Wyatt and Heather in the box for Team Fresh, only Reef, Lo, and Harold were left to help Lindsay in goal.

Reef won the face-off against Jen, but after receiving the puck, Harold could not get the puck past Cody. Taking it, Cody quickly passed back to Jude. Together, the two traveled up ice as Jen tried to keep Reef away from them.

In the offensive zone, the boys were 2-on-1 against Lo. Seeing Jude as the bigger threat, she moved towards him. In turn, Jude faked a shot, which made Lo flinch. He then passed to Cody, who took a shot.

But it wasn't fast enough, as Lindsay reached out and caught the puck in her glove. Lindsay cheered as she put it back down on the ice and lazily slapped it back out...

Right into the stick of a charging Jen, who quickly whacked it back. The puck hit Lindsay between her chest and stomach, catching her off-guard enough to knock her on her behind. Jen tried to reach for the puck for another shot, but Reef reached around her and knocked her stick out of the way. Lindsay then tried to kick the puck towards Lo's general direction, but it was Jude who was there to receive it.

Jude, though, took a second to realize he had possession of the puck, and seeing an opening, quickly fired a haphazard shot. It hit the post, ricocheting back and towards the sideboards.

Harold got to the puck and cleared it from the zone, whacking it down to the other end of the ice. Fin easily stopped it with her stick just outside the goalie crease, then left it for Gwen to take control.

Gwen stayed behind the net for a few seconds as both teams reset. As she brought it out, Wyatt's time in the box was up, and for the next 9 seconds, both teams had four skaters on the ice.

Seeing Wyatt, Gwen froze in her defensive zone and bought some time. Reef tried to come up to steal the puck, but she passed it across ice to Jude, whom Harold was guarding.

That sequence was enough to complete Trent's time on the box, as he came rushing out. Jude passed ahead to Trent, who quickly dumped it to Jen, who was already heading into the offensive zone. Team Fresh had about a minute of one-man advantage to use, and only about 20 seconds on top of that in regulation. Would they be able to take advantage?

_(End Act Four)_

* * *

Jen raced into the offensive zone with the puck in front of her. Wyatt came up to challenge her as members of both teams raced into the area. Jen tapped the puck to her right to Gwen, then took off for the net. Wyatt stayed with Jen, leaving Gwen unguarded as she tried to decide what to do with the puck.

"Over here!" Fin waved at Gwen, as she tried to get away from Lo.

Trent skated over to Gwen, and she gave the puck to him. Reef, who had been on him, backed off a little to keep an eye on both of them. Then, seeing Jen breaking away slightly from Wyatt behind the net, Trent tried to pass the puck along the boards to her. But it didn't quite reach her, as Reef got over there to get it. Trent was over there in a hurry, though, and the two fought for possession behind the net. Lindsay turned her whole body around to see where the puck was, and looked just in time as Cody came in and body-checked Reef into the glass.

"Ooh, that was not pretty," Fin winced.

Trent quickly took the puck, and tried to shoot it into the net before Lindsay could get back into position. But it bounced off the back of Lindsay's skate and right into Jude's stick. He quickly poked it back in, putting it between the goalie's legs and into the net for the go-ahead goal.

"Sco-ore, dude!"

Jude was quickly tackled by Trent and Cody, who dog-piled on him with glee. Gwen and Jen shared a high-five before joining their teammates.

Team Fresh, meanwhile, was in shock as they looked up at the scoreboard. They were down 2-1, and there was only 40 seconds left on the clock. Heather emerged from the penalty box, looking to rally her teammates.

"Hey, this isn't over yet people! We still have one last shot at this to force a draw."

"But we're not playing to draw," reminded Reef.

"I know what I said earlier! But... our only chance might be to force a shootout. Lindsay... take off the gear. You're on defense with Lo. Wyatt, you're stepping up to the front line with the three of us. We have to get that second goal... no matter what!"

* * *

Deciding to play without a goalie for the last 40 seconds, Team Fresh took to the ice, hoping for an equalizer.

Trent and Reef stared each other down in the face-off, won by the latter. Jen and Cody immediately dropped back to help Gwen and Jude on defense, leaving Trent the only person in the center zone as he watched Heather take possession of the puck.

Heather quickly shot the puck into the zone, to the boards behind the net. Team Fresh raced to get possession, but Team All-Stars' Jude was the first to it. But he quickly found Wyatt heading for him, and he moved to the other side.

Reef was there, though, as he tried to body-check Jude off his feet. But he only succeeded in tangling him up, as the puck got trapped in between their skates and the boards. Gwen and Wyatt also tried to get their sticks in there, as Heather screamed for her team to get the puck out.

The clock continued to tick as someone managed to kick the puck out of the scrum, where Jen got a hold of it and attempted to clear it.

But Harold kept it in the zone, stopping the puck with his stick. He then quickly fired a shot on goal. Fin quickly knelt down to block and deflect the puck. Cody grabbed possession, but Heather tried to slap it away. When she missed, Cody quickly rushed off towards the other end of the ice. Lo attempted to come over from the other side of the ice as Cody got to the center zone, but she took a bad approach angle...

Which left Cody one-on-one with Lindsay in her defensive zone. But she made a mistake of her own, stepping up to try and get the puck. That left a clear shot at the goal from about 52 feet for Cody. He took the shot... and was right on target.

Cody dropped his stick and started to dance. It only lasted a few seconds, as he was then mobbed by his teammates, who cheered him for adding an insurance goal to the board.

A few seconds later, Trent won another face-off, knocking the puck over to Jude. He then held it as the last 11 seconds ticked away, with none of Team Fresh's players coming up to attempt a steal.

The final buzzer went off, with Team All-Stars winning 3-1.

* * *

With the results final and Team All-Stars getting a chance to discuss how they would 'decide' Team Fresh's fate, the two teams were gathered at center ice to be addressed by Allen.

"First off, congratulations to both teams for an entertaining game. But there can only be one winner. Team All-Stars!"

Team All-Stars cheered in triumph as Team Fresh applauded them for their victory.

"Team All-Stars, you now have two decisions to make. You must choose an MVP for Team Fresh - that person will win the Team Canada hockey prize package. You must then select two of Team Fresh's members to throw into tonight's Elimination Challenge."

Trent stepped forward to announce the MVP.

"Honestly, I think Team Fresh made a mistake when they pulled him out of goal... they probably would've won had he stayed there. That's why there was no debate... we're picking Harold as MVP."

"Yes!" Harold smiled. "It nice to know some people appreciate me."

A round of applause was heard on both sides for Harold.

"Harold, as MVP, you get the Team Canada hockey prize package that includes jerseys signed by every member of both the men's and women's ice hockey national team. But, because your team did not win the game, you do not have invincibility. Every member of your team, including you, can be thrown into the Elimination Chamber by the all-stars.

"Guys... who did you pick to throw into challenge?"

"Heather," Gwen quickly shouted.

"Big surprise," quipped Heather as she stepped forward.

"And..." Allen asked, wanting the second nominee.

"It was a tough call," Cody admitted as he spoke up. "We weren't going to do this, given the track record... hey, we're over here instead of over there. Still, we wanted someone who we think has a good chance of beating Heather. That's why our second pick... is Reef."

Reef wasn't happy, but most of his anger seemed directed at Fin.

"Sorry," she apologized, "but majority rules."

Allen turned to Heather and Reef.

"Heather and Reef... when it comes to Elimination Challenge, it's been dominated by the underdogs. Save for the very first one, which could've gone either way... the underdog has won every one of these. Will that hold true in the first individual Elimination Challenge? Regardless, the survivor will find himself or herself a huge favorite to win out the rest of the competition.

"Tonight's Elimination Challenge is... 'Ice Hockey Shooting Speed Run.' You must score five goals from different places on the ice. Four of them must be from a stationary position. One 15 feet in front of the net, one each from the center of each of the face-off circles in the offensive zone, and one from anywhere of your choice just outside the blue line.

"The fifth, which cannot be attempted until all four stationary goals have been scored, requires you to get a puck from behind the opposing net, and then shoot it, while moving, from anywhere behind the center line, into the goal. Doing so stops the clock.

"If you miss a goal, you must retrieve the puck and redo the shot from the proper location. The person who completes the challenge in the fastest time wins and stays in the game.

"The other person... will get sent home."

* * *

The four safe competitors and the six 'all-stars' took seats in the stands to watch the Elimination Challenge. With Reef winning the coin toss and electing to go second, he was escorted into seclusion as Heather was met at center ice by Allen.

"I will be timing you by stopwatch," he said, showing her said watch and then holding it up for the 'crowd.' "Only I will know what both of your times are before they are revealed. Understood?"

Heather nodded.

"You may start at any puck you wish, except for the last one, which again you may not attempt until the other four pucks have found their way to the net. Good luck."

Heather skated to the easiest spot, the one directly in front of the goal, and waited for the referee to signal for her to begin.

TWEET!

Heather quickly fired the first puck in, and immediately skated to her left, not waiting to see if her shot went in... which it did. She took her first attempt from the left circle... and missed, as the puck hit the outside of the post. Some cheering could be heard from the crowd as Heather retrieved the puck to make a second attempt. Once back, she took her shot... and this time got it.

Across the ice she went for her third puck, and after getting into position. She fired... nothing but net!

Onto the fourth, which she took the time to move from the far right side of the ice to the center, which was allowed as long as the puck didn't cross the blue line during the movement. Once she got it where she wanted, she took the shot... and nailed it.

She raced to the net at the opposite end to get the final puck. Once she had it, she skated back towards the center line, as close to the middle of the ice as she could figure while moving. Crossing the defensive blue line and closing in on the center line, Heather brought her stick back and took the shot.

The puck was a little over the ice and heading slightly left as it flew towards the goal. It landed about 20 feet away and slid the rest of the way across the goal line, just inside the left post. The siren went off to signify Heather had finished.

"Not bad," Wyatt observed. "She only missed once."

Lo began to worry. "Reef's going to have to do well to win this one."

* * *

After Heather had been ushered off to temporary seclusion, Reef was brought out to make his attempt. Obviously, everyone was hoping that he would pull out the victory.

Mimicking Heather, he decided to start with the easiest goal to score as he awaited the referee's signal to begin.

TWEET!

Reef fired straight ahead for the first puck, easily finding the net. He skated right, heading for the face-off circle on that side. He took the shot, which found the inside of the post and deflected into the goal.

He clenched his fist with determination as he stepped back to the puck behind the blue line. He decided to not move it and instead take the shot from there. That was a mistake, as he swung at it too hard and the puck flew over and to the boards on the opposite back corner.

He heard several screams from the crowd to hurry up as he retrieved his puck. He was about to head back to the same spot, but then he realized he could save time by just shooting it from the middle of the ice. Getting behind the blue line, he made his second shot... and this one found the back of the net.

Over to the left face-off circle, and Reef didn't hesitate in pulling the trigger and quickly depositing number four in the net.

All that was left was the puck at the other end of the ice. Reef quickly got down there, got the puck, and headed back. Hoping to save time, he decided to shoot from far range. He brought his stick back and took his shot, just as he was crossing the defensive blue line. He managed to get off a nearly straight shot despite the power he put behind it, and the puck sailed into the back of the net, setting off the goal siren.

"What a performance!" Harold exclaimed.

"Yeah for Reef!" cheered Lindsay. "Yeah! Woo hoo!"

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone was back at center ice. Allen was about to announce the results of the Elimination Challenge.

"Both of you did a really good job," Allen told Heather and Reef. "I didn't honestly think you'd both do that well. Each of you only had one miss..."

Heather and Reef looked at each other worriedly. This was gonna be close.

"Let's get right to it. Heather, you completed the challenge... in a time of... 48.8 seconds."

Heather nodded, happy with her result. But was it enough?"

"Reef, you completed the challenge... in a time of... 46.0 seconds."

Reef jumped up and down in excitement, while Heather just seemed disappointed.

"Yeah, baby! I'm still alive!"

Reef ran over to the other four remaining competitors and high-fived all of them. While Reef celebrated, Heather looked at the all-stars and saw almost all of them smiling at the result. She glared at Allen to finish this.

"Heather, today you just didn't get your way. You're not in the Final Five. It's time for you to leave."

Heather simply turned around and skated off the ice, heading for the locker room. Everyone just watched as she made her quiet exit from the competition.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I don't know why it takes people so long to realize that I'm not here to be nice," Heather confessed. "I'm here to win. That's why we sign up for these reality shows... to win! I don't care who's feelings get hurt. Hello, only one person can win this thing, and I try to do everything in my power to make sure that person is me.

"So of course I'm upset I'm sitting here, going home in sixth place. That's not what I came here for. I easily deserved to be here for the finale, competing for the grand prize. There's just too many haters that wanted me gone... that's all.

"Who do I hope wins? It better be Reef... he's the only person that deserves to still be here. And if it's either of the girls... I swear I'll pull a Courtney and sue this show for everything they have!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

With Heather's departure, the surviving five competitors could breathe a sigh of relief.

"Obviously, it looks like Heather's exit may finally bring peace to the remaining competitors," Allen deduced.

There was a confident nod of agreement from the quintet, to the delight of the all-stars.

"Just five left. One of you will win this competition. But tonight, go get some needed rest and relaxation. Good night, guys."

Harold, Lindsay, Lo, Reef, and Wyatt all said their good-byes to the 'all-stars,' some even shared hugs, before heading towards the exit, off to get some much-needed sleep.

To be continued...

* * *

(There's only two 'Fresh from Canada' episodes left, and next time...)

"Let me propose a toast!" Harold raised his glass up. "To Heather being denied yet again!"

"Here here!" the others cheered.

(Heather's gone, but she didn't take tension in the house with her...)

"It's time we start protecting our interests," Harold told Lindsay.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm starting to get the feeling I'm a fifth wheel," noted Reef.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Lo, we're friends here, right?"

"Friends don't stand by when I get into a fight with a heated enemy."

(Maybe it all it takes to calm the atmosphere is... love?)

"Could it be..." gasped Wyatt, "that she likes me likes me?"

"Well," Lo told Lindsay, "I never said he wasn't cute..."

(But the biggest pains remain those suffered in competition...)

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow..."

The others winced as they heard Lindsay's cries of agony and pain.

"She does know she's supposed to go around those, right?" Lo asked the other competitors.

(Especially given who's thrown into the Elimination Challenge...)

"This has just got to be the stupidest thing..."

(Next time, on the penultimate episode of 'Fresh from Canada.')


	10. Episode Nine

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Nine  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Last time...

"You're just lucky we won today," Heather said aloud. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

The tension between Heather and Lo reached its breaking point...

The boys ran to the girls' apartment, and saw Heather and Lo on the floor, wrestling around, as Lindsay watched, cheering the latter on. Both girls started flailing their arms in the direction of the other, hoping to land a hit across the other's face.

"Now **THAT'S** what I'm talking about!" Reef shouted.

"A friend of Heather's is an enemy of mine!"

"Friend? Are you crazy?"

Harold then grabbed Lindsay by the waist and tried to get her to let go of Wyatt.

"We're all on the same side!"

"If you're with Wyatt, then you're with Heather!"

"Will you listen what I'm saying to you, woman!"

Such that Lo's place in the game became endangered...

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Okay," commented Reef, "this just went from a barrel of laughs to dark and grim. These girls have snapped! I definitely don't want to be in this apartment tonight!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"I have nothing to say to you," Lindsay turned away. "I'm trying to not get kicked off this show."

"Kicked off?" Harold asked. "Why would they do that?"

"Because," explained Heather, "the network has a rule against us competitors trying to physically hurt one another."

"I am, I am! I'm just trying to figure out how to explain this to the producers! You do still want to be here, right?"

"Of course I do!"

But instead of kicking her off the show...

"I want you... to give me your scarf, my dear. It's over."

The three teams were merged into one mega-team...

"If this is the merge," Harold began, "then why are we one team, instead of six individuals?"

To take on another mega-team... of former competitors...

"Noooooo!" shouted Reef.

"This can't be!" gasped Harold.

"This is a nightmare," Heather shook her head in disbelief. "My worst nightmare!"

"I'm soooo scared Lindsay is your third strongest offensive player," Fin fake-shivered in Heather's direction.

Both teams fought hard, but there could only be one winning team...

"Sco-ore, dude!"

Jude was quickly tackled by Trent and Cody, who dog-piled on him with glee. Gwen and Jen shared a high-five before joining their teammates.

And the All-Stars knew who they wanted in the Elimination Challenge...

"Guys... who did you pick to throw into challenge?"

"Heather," Gwen quickly shouted.

"That's why our second pick... is Reef."

And this time, the person everyone wanted to go home, in fact did...

"Heather, today you just didn't get your way. You're not in the Final Five. It's time for you to leave."

"Obviously, it looks like Heather's exit may finally bring peace to the remaining competitors," Allen deduced.

Is the host right? Will there be peace now that only five teenagers are left to fight for the grand prize! Find out tonight on the penultimate episode of... 'Fresh from Canada!'"

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Millennium Water  
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver

Despite a tough day on the ice, the five remaining competitors were celebrating Heather's elimination from the game by throwing a small party in the boys' apartment.

"Let me propose a toast!" Harold raised his glass up. "To Heather being denied yet again!"

"Here here!" the others cheered.

The five of them then drank from their glasses filled with apple cider.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The final five!" Harold exclaimed. "I'm really loving my chances to win this! There are only a few Winter Olympic disciplines we have yet to try out, and I'm pretty confident I can fare well in all of them."

"Oh my God, only five of us left!" squealed Lindsay. "That's one less than six! With Heather gone, I can totally see myself being in the finals! In fact... I see myself winning it all! As long as we don't have to do anything else that's physically challenging."

"I couldn't have asked for a better final five!" gloated Reef. "Wyatt's a pushover, Harold's a nobody, and the girls... not even in my league! VIP seat to the Opening Ceremonies, here I come!"

"I wanted to be in this to prove to Daddy that I could do things for myself," remarked Lo. "I only have to last a few more days. And if I win... not only will I be let back into the penthouse suite for sure... but Daddy's gonna have to shower me with gifts! See, Daddy? Your daughter's making it in this world!"

"Now that I've made it into the final five," Wyatt thought out loud, "what now? I wasn't expecting to still be here. I still can't even imagine winning this competition! I guess being a nice guy in these competitions is paying off after all."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Being a star is the best thing ever," Lindsay told Reef as they hung out near the balcony door. "Everyone treats you all nice and they buy gifts for you and write you all sorts of fan letters!"

"Wow," Reef gasped.

Lindsay continued to ramble on, but Reef wasn't paying attention. Instead, he just gawked at Lindsay's figure the whole time.

"I showed Beth a handful of them, but she didn't seem too into them. She recommended I file a restraining order against some of my fans, especially this one guy who wanted me to cut off a lock of my hair every month and send it to him. Something about not being able to meet me in person because he was in a place he said 'people who do things others think are morally wrong are placed,' so he wanted the next best thing."

From the kitchen, Harold, Lo, and Wyatt watched the two of them chat away... and they seemed concerned.

"Those two sure are spending a lot of time together tonight," Lo observed. "You guys think they like each other?"

"Well," Wyatt answered, "Reef likes Lindsay. A lot."

"As in he talks about her in his sleep a lot," clarified Harold. "As for Lindsay, well... she's Lindsay."

"And that means..."

"She probably doesn't even realize Reef's trying to hit on her."

"Hit on her? She doesn't even realize he's gawking at her!"

"It must be nice being Lindsay," Lo remarked. "She probably gets guys to do whatever she wants all the time."

"Not all the time," corrected Harold.

"I'd love it if guys paid attention to me like they'd pay attention to her. I mean... look at me! How do I compete with talents like hers?"

"Uh..." Harold poked, at the risk of being offensive, "what kind of talents are we talking about?"

"Which ones do you think?"

"Now now," redirected Wyatt. "Guys pay attention to you too. You have a cute smile..."

Lo gasped. "You think... my smile is cute?"

Wyatt hastily covered his mouth with his hands.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Did I just say that out loud?" Wyatt asked himself before starting to bang his head against the wall. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"You misheard me... guys in general think your smile is cute!"

"No... I'm pretty sure you said that you think I have a cute smile."

"Come on, Lo. Admitting that I think you have a cute smile is like admitting that I... you know, like you."

"Wait! Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Would you look at the time?" Wyatt changed the subject, looking down at the 'watch' on his wrist. "Harold, we should have an alliance meeting right now to discuss what our next move should be."

"But," Harold objected, "isn't Lo in the alliance too? As well as Lindsay?"

"Just come with me," Wyatt mouthed through gritted teeth as he pulled Harold out of the apartment.

Wyatt and Harold exited, closing the door behind them.

* * *

"Could it be..." gasped Wyatt, "that she likes me likes me?"

Wyatt and Harold had gone into the stairwell, as Wyatt tried to figure out his feelings.

"You know, if you're into Lo, you should just come out and express your feelings! You don't want this opportunity to pass you by! One of you might not be here tomorrow night!"

"You make it sound so easy. But I've been burned by girls a lot. A couple of them really, really hard. I don't want to get my hopes up just to have them be shattered in a heartbeat."

"It sounds like you're afraid of rejection."

"That's **EXACTLY** what it sounds like."

"You can't live in fear of being rejected! People get rejected all the time... it's part of life!"

"Not... helping."

"What I'm getting at is that if you really, really like her, you need to tell her! If she's 'the one' and you miss the chance to confess your love, you'll probably be kicking yourself for months! Trust me, it's better to know if she feels the same way or nor rather than not knowing at all."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I get what Harold's saying," Wyatt admitted, "but he hasn't had his heart broken like I have. Serena, Marlowe, the coffee girl..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"I dunno. Lo looked shocked when I told her I liked her smile. I doubt she feels the same way."

"For crying out loud, just confess! It's not the end of the world if she says no!"

"Fine," sighed Wyatt. "It's not like I have anything else better to do right now."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lindsay and Lo had gone back to their apartment, and were chatting about relationships themselves.

"Reef is so nice," cooed Lindsay. "He, like, listened to every word I said! Guys usually get tired of me after I go on and on about my life for hours and hours."

"Better be careful," Lo casually warned, "he likes flirting with girls. A lot."

"Oh. You mean girls like you?"

"Me? Oh, no no no no no! Girls like you."

"Like... me? So do you think..."

"Don't get your hopes up. He's **SO** into Fin."

"Fin? But didn't they, like, argue all the time?"

"Yeah... love's like that sometimes."

"Oh, don't I know it! Courtney and Duncan were like that last season. And the season before that, too. Hmmm... I guess they've always been like that."

"Courtney and Duncan? I still don't see how those two became a couple. There's just something... off about them."

"I always thought there was something off about Courtney."

"What? Really?"

"Oops," Lindsay gasped. "I didn't mean to say that. Out loud. With all the cameras rolling."

"Anyway... you've been in a lot of relationships before, right?"

Lindsay thought for a second. "Well..."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The last guy I really, really, really liked was Tyler," Lindsay stated. "We totally hit it off on Total Drama. The only thing is... I haven't seen or heard from him since he got voted off! Strange, right?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"One or two. You?"

"Me? A couple I had mad crushes on, but nothing serious. I'm more about hooking other people up than getting someone myself."

Lindsay's face turned serious. "This is about Wyatt, isn't it?"

"No, it's about Wy... hey! How did you..."

"You two look so cute together!"

"Uh, Lindsay... how long have you thought that?"

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders. "I guess... since you two were paired together?"

"You really think that?"

"You mean... you don't think he's cute?"

"Well," Lo told Lindsay, "I never said he wasn't cute..."

* * *

Wyatt was about to knock on the door to the girls' apartment, but he stopped when he could hear them talking about him.

"I mean, we work well together," he heard Lo said. "And I do like his hair..."

Wyatt smiled as he ran his hand through his locks.

"But... he's not exactly a hottie..."

Wyatt froze in stunned silence.

"Have you seen how many girls on this show have attempted to get with him? None! Absolutely none!"

Upon hearing that, Wyatt heard his heart shatter in two. Lowering his head, he started heading back to his apartment.

* * *

"It's odd," Lo noted, "because I thought someone would be attracted to him. Jen, maybe? They seemed to like each other's company..."

"Maybe," Lindsay tentatively agreed, "Jen seems like the type of person that would stop being bossy if she had a boyfriend."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"That's a great idea!" Lindsay exclaimed. "If I find a boyfriend for Heather, then maybe she'll stop being so bossy too!"

She then pulled out a photo of Tyler.

"Hey! Maybe I should hook her up with this guy!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Wyatt, to me, isn't boyfriend material. He's friend material, most def... but not boyfriend material."

"How you figure that?"

"He's nice, supportive of me, always cares about what I need to say. Just last night, he comforted me after the incident with Heather."

"Just like friends should do!"

"Exactly! I feel like, if I wanted to, I could share my deepest, darkest secrets with him. That's how friendly I feel about him."

"So, you two are still gonna talk after this show's over?"

"For sure! I'm even thinking about giving him my cell! And hey, maybe I'll invite him over to the resort this summer."

"That sounds awesome! Can I come too?"

"Of course! I'll invite all my new friends to the resort, including you!"

"Yeahhhh!" Lindsay applauded with glee.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the boys' apartment...

"Ohhhhhhhhh..." Wyatt mumbled as he lied face-down into the pillows on his bed.

"That bad?" Harold asked, dumbfounded.

_(End Act One)_

* * *

The next morning, the five remaining competitors were already up and preparing to leave for the next challenge. But unlike the previous night, where they were all jovial following the exit of Heather, an entirely different mood permeated in the complex.

Harold and Wyatt were in the kitchen, eating cereal for breakfast. They were idly chit-chatting when Reef emerged from his bedroom. He walked over to the iPhone, which was sitting on the counter, and picked it up.

"Morning, bros! What's up?"

Harold and Wyatt didn't reply, as Reef pressed a few buttons and read the latest text message from Allen.

"Woo hoo!" he shouted excitedly. "Another challenge today! The third in three days, am I right?"

The other two guys just kept eating, not even looking shooting a glance at them.

"Man, what's with you guys?" Reef asked as he went to fix himself some breakfast. "You guys didn't sleep last night or what?"

Harold and Wyatt got up from their seats, leaving their half-eaten breakfast, and headed for the door. Wyatt opened it, then led the way out of the apartment. Reef looked confused as Harold closed the door behind him. He lifted up his arms and smelt his pits.

"It's not me... I showered yesterday."

* * *

Harold and Wyatt made their way down to the lobby, where they found Lindsay waving at them. She was sitting at a table that had four chairs around it, one of which her posterior was riding in, and she was already dressed for an outdoor event, like the boys were.

"Morning!" Lindsay greeted cheerfully.

"Morning, Lindsay," Harold happily greeted back.

"I didn't think you'd be the first one down here," Wyatt said to her.

"Got up a little early this morning. I couldn't wait for today's challenge!"

"It doesn't matter what the challenge is," Harold said. "What matters is what happens afterward."

"You mean Reef," stated Wyatt.

"Exactly. He's the last person standing in our way. Once he's gone, it'll just be the four of us. Then, it's everyone for themselves."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Even in my wildest dreams did I think our little alliance would last long enough that now only one person stands between the four of us and Olympic glory!" Harold said with a smile. "Still, I actually am starting to lament the fact that Heather left yesterday. Reef's such an athletic specimen, he could win all of the remaining challenges easily. At least if Heather was still around, we would've stood a decent chance. But as it stands, the only way Reef goes home today is if he makes himself go home."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"One of us has to win immunity today!" Harold told the others. "We have to put him in the Elimination Challenge and get him out of here!"

"But if one of us wins," Wyatt thought aloud, "someone still has to go into the challenge with him. Which one of us would be willing to risk our shot at a quarter of a million dollars and VIP tickets to the Winter Olympics?"

"I will!" Harold proudly declared. "I'm willing to risk it all to get him out!"

"But... what happens if you win immunity?"

"Well... I actually haven't thought of that scenario. Hmmm..."

Suddenly, the three of them heard footsteps coming from the stairwell. They turned in that direction, hoping it wasn't Reef coming down to break up their alliance meeting.

They breathed a sigh of relief when Lo appeared.

"Yeah!" Lindsay cheered. "Lo's finally here!"

"We'd better make this quick if we're really going to do this," Lo told them. "Reef'll be down here any minute!"

Wyatt tensed up as Lo walked past him and took the seat at the table across from him.

"So we're planning what to do if one of us wins immunity, right?" she guessed.

"Yep," replied Lindsay.

As Lindsay got Lo up to speed, Harold noticed that Wyatt was starting to sweat nervously.

"Hey, Lo," Harold interrupted. "I think Wyatt has something he wants to say."

"He does?"

Wyatt turned to Harold and whispered into his ear.

"What have you done?"

"Set you up. Now, hit it out of the ballpark!"

Wyatt looked back at Lo, who now had all of her attention on him. Lindsay was just as attentive, curious as to what Wyatt had to say as well.

"Well... you see..."

"Yes?"

"I just want... want... want to say..."

Lo nodded as she urged him to get the words out.

"Say that... I... I... I love..."

"**GOOD MORNING, VANCOUVER, THE REEFSTER HAS ARRIVED!**"

Reef had just appeared in the lobby, bringing an abrupt end to the meeting. Wyatt decided to use the opportunity to 'abort mission.'

"**WAFFLES! I LOVE WAFFLES!**"

Everyone, including Reef, shot odd glances at Wyatt.

"You love... waffles?" Lo repeated, a bit dazed by the declaration.

"No time to explain!" Wyatt shouted. "Reef's here, so it's time to get in the van! We've got a challenge to get to!"

Wyatt then bolted out the front door.

"Man, something must be up with him today," Reef commented. "Any of you know why?"

Harold glared at Reef, then calmly got up out of his seat and exited the building. Reef then saw Lindsay stand up.

"Sorry... I can't explain anything."

Lindsay also then left, leaving Reef alone with Lo.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm starting to get the feeling I'm a fifth wheel," noted Reef.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Why doesn't anyone want to talk to me this morning?" Reef asked as he sat down across from Lo.

"I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news," answered Lo, "but we were going to try to figure out who could beat you in an Elimination Challenge."

"What? You guys are trying to vote me off?"

"Well..."

"I can't believe you'd do this to me, Lo!"

"It's not like you didn't know! Besides, that's what alliances do!"

"Then let me join the alliance."

"I'm pretty, pretty sure it doesn't count as an alliance if everyone is in it."

"Lo, we're friends here, right?"

"Friends don't stand by when I get into a fight with a heated enemy."

"Oh, so you're holding the other night against me?"

Lo sighed. "Reef. It's nothing personal. It's just... I made a deal with Wyatt, Lindsay, and Harold. The four of us at the end. I can't back out on them now... not this late in the game!"

Lo got up and started to walk away, but Reef reached across the table and grabbed her right arm.

"Hey! Reef!"

"I have an idea! Why don't the two of us team up? Get Lindsay on board... the two of you are close, right? Then we'll have a majority."

"I told you, Reef, I can't do that!"

Reef sighed as he released his grip on Lo's arm.

"Then... what am I supposed to do?"

"The only thing you can do to keep us from voting you out, I guess. Win the challenge today."

With that, Lo headed for the door.

"Win the challenge..." Reef said with a smile. "It's so simple that it might actually work!"

* * *

After an hour-plus ride up into the mountains, the van holding the five competitors arrived at the site of this day's challenge, Whistler Creekside. They filed out and headed for the spectator seating area by the finish line, where Allen was waiting for them.

Once the five were lined up, Allen began to talk.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," they all responded.

"Only five of you left. You guys are getting ever so close to the end of the road. One of you, in a couple days, will be leaving Vancouver as the winner of our competition. To whet your appetite, let me quickly remind you everything that you five are playing for."

Allen reached underneath the stands, and the quintet watched him do so for about a minute. Finally, he pulled himself back out... and he had a silver steel briefcase... that had the Fresh TV company logo on it.

"Whoa!" gasped Harold.

"The winner of the competition wins this suitcase! Tomorrow night, I will be giving this to one of you five. And in that case tomorrow is $250,000!"

"Yeah, baby!" shouted Reef.

"I can already imagine how I'm going to spend it," Lindsay said aloud.

"Me too," agreed Lo.

"Also, you get VIP tickets to any three Olympic event finals! Very expensive, and hard to come by... almost all of them have already been sold! But the winner gets to choose which event they want to go to! Women's Figure Skating Free Skate, Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final, Men's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Match... just a few of the many events you'll get to choose from!"

"Even Curling?" Harold asked.

"Even Curling, yes. Plus, the winner gets the honor of being Fresh TV Incorporated's unofficial representative for the 2010 Winter Olympics! That means you'll get to spend two-plus weeks here next month for the games, schmoozing with your favorite athletes, hanging out at a few parties, and cheering on your favorite country. I dunno about you guys, but I'd root for the home team.

"But before you can even think about winning it all tomorrow, you have to think about getting through today. With that, I officially welcome you to the home of the Alpine Skiing events of the 2010 Winter Olympics... Whistler Creekside!"

"Does that mean we finally get to see ski bunnies?" Reef hopped up and down excitedly.

"If you mean the resort staff and our interns, who are smoothing out the course in order to make it manageable for today's competition despite the warm weather... then yes, you get to see ski bunnies."

"That tanks!"

"You guys know how to ski thanks to the Biathlon earlier in the competition, but today, you're not going for distance. You're going for speed and technical precision. Today, you will be competing in the Olympic sport known as... the Slalom!"

Allen turned around and pointed to the finish line, as well as the large number of pliable poles, either red or blue, coming down the mountain and leading to the finish.

"The task sounds easy enough... get from the start line all the way down here to the finish as fast as you can. Along the way, you must pass between pairs of red and blue poles. But it wouldn't be a slalom if you could just come straight down the hill. Nope... you're gonna have maneuver around left and right to get between and around those babies!

"Each person must make two runs down the course. But be careful! If you miss going through any pair of gates... you're immediately disqualified, and your day is done! The skier with the best combined two-run time wins the challenge, gets immunity, and is guaranteed to compete in the championship festivities tomorrow! The winner also will pick two of the other four losers to compete the Elimination Challenge... but more on that later."

"Great!" Wyatt exclaimed. "What prize are we playing for?"

"Well, we originally weren't gonna offer any more prizes..."

"What?" everyone shouted, upset.

"Hey! I can't help it... we blew our budget! Luckily, we had a few generous benefactors chip in so we could offer you guys something great!"

"If any of those benefactors is Chris Maclean," prefaced Harold, "I don't want it."

Allen reached under the stands again. This time, he pulled out a 16x20 photo of...

"A brand-spanking new 2010 Toyota Corolla!"

"A car?" Reef freaked out.

"You're giving us a car?" squealed Lo.

"This is the happiest day of my life," said Wyatt.

"Hey, hey! We're not giving all of you a car! Just whichever one of you wins today's challenge. Sheesh... our benefactors aren't THAT generous! Anyway, it has 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder engine with 4-speed automatic transmission, no less than half a dozen airbags, and a whole bunch of other standard features that I just don't have time to get into! And as an added bonus, we'll deliver the winner's new car to their house, fresh off the assembly line!"

"So what are we waiting for?" Harold asked his fellow competitors. "Let's hit the slopes!"

"Yeah!" the other four exclaimed.

The four headed to get outfitted for ski gear, and then it was onto the lifts.

"Which one of them will win this shiny new car?" Allen asked as he held up the photo to the camera. "Stay tuned to this station to find out!"

_(End Act Two)_

* * *

It wasn't long before all five of the competitors had gotten their skis and had made it to the starting line. They were being given three hours to learn the course, then an hour and half for lunch and some rest before the challenge was to begin.

"I'm going first!" announced Lindsay as she stepped towards the starting gate.

"Good," Harold said in response. "I'd like to study the course in detail before attempting it."

Lo was stretching as Lindsay passed by her and up to the gate.

"You're heading out already?"

"Yep! I really wanna do my best today, so I'm going to get in as much practice as I can!"

Lindsay stood there on her skis for awhile, not doing anything.

"Um... can someone tell me when to go?"

"I think that's totally up to you," Lo told her.

"Oh! Well... I choose to go now!"

Lindsay pushed off of the ground with her skis and onto the course. Lo watched as Lindsay headed to the first set of pole gates... and straight towards the red one on the left.

She swung her right pole at the gate to knock it out of the way, but it only bent back slightly before flinging itself back and whacking Lindsay in the face.

"Ow!"

She quickly swerved to try and make the second gate, and just did so barely. But she had to clip the inner blue gate with her skis to do it, and once they were no longer on the bottom, the gate whipped back up, hitting Lindsay again.

"Ow!"

Hearing all the noise, Wyatt, Reef, and Harold joined Lo in the starting gate as Lindsay continued to hit each gate one way or the other, and getting retaliatory whips back in the process.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow..."

The others winced as they heard Lindsay's cries of agony and pain.

"She does know she's supposed to go around those, right?" Lo asked the other competitors.

Finally, coming upon the first group of gates that were set up in a straight line rather than on either side of her, Lindsay veered right and out of the racing line.

"Okay," she winced, taking off her helmet and revealing a couple red lash marks on the left side of her face, "this is even more painful than the one we did on the sled!"

* * *

As Lindsay was escorted off to the side of the course, back up top Lo had finished her stretching, had her skis on, and was making her way to the starting gate.

"Um," Wyatt tapped her on the shoulder, "are you sure you wanna go down so soon after Lindsay?"

Lo winked at Wyatt and said.

"Just trust me. I'm a Ridgemount."

She then lowered her goggles, turned around, and pushed off onto the course. Harold walked up, with a sly look on his face.

"So you care about her well-being, huh?"

"As a friend!" Wyatt exclaimed, blushing. "Not a boyfriend!"

* * *

Halfway down the course, Lindsay was watching from the sidelines, on the other side of the 'out of bounds' temporary orange fence-like netting, when he saw Lo making her way down, going through every gate.

And by going through every gate, that meant safely in-between each of the gate poles.

"Oh..." Lindsay took a mental note, "that's how you do it!"

She observed as Lo proceeded through the first group of gates in a straight line, whipping back and forth from each pair with quickness and tight turning.

"Yeah! You go, Lo!"

* * *

Crossing the finish line, she angled her skis out to come to a successful stop. She looked up at the scoreboard. The timer wasn't on, but the feed from the camera that followed the skiers on the course was... and she saw herself rising her arms in triumph.

"Ha ha! I did it!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Lo's good," Reef commented. "Like crazy good! I know the biathlon was one thing... but this too?"

"Man, she was impressive," observed Harold. "She must really want that car."

"She just wants to make sure she's here for the big prize," explained Wyatt. "A car's nothing to someone like her."

"My jeep's been having engine problems since it gotten driven into that pool last summer," Lo admitted. "If I win this, I get a new car to call my own! And I promise to leave the keys in my room the next time I throw a party!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

While Lo was having instant success, the others weren't. The warm conditions meant that artificial snow had to be added and frozen onto the course. Unfortunately, that made some of the tighter turns hard to make, and Harold and Reef were among those having the most trouble, as they found themselves unable to make their direction changes fast enough to avoid missing gates. Lindsay now knew to avoid the gates, but that didn't keep her from still getting hit a few times as she struggled to make a complete run. As for Wyatt, he was finding the turns hard to do at all.

He expressed his frustration to Lo at the finish line, just after she had finished another training run.

"I hope the course holds up," wished Lo as she took off her helmet, "I just squeaked by a few of those gates near the bottom."

"How can you make that look so easy?" Wyatt asked.

"Simple... because you're not doing what I'm doing."

"Pardon?"

"First off, you're not leaning into the turns enough! This is the slalom, Wyatt! You have to be more aggressive! You're not going to be able to make all the turns if you don't attack the course!"

"Attack the course?"

"You know, show it who's the boss! Own it!"

"Own it?"

"Own it! Now, I want to see you like that the next time down the course!"

"Great!"

"So... wanna ride back up to the top with me?"

Wyatt hesitated, then nodded his head.

"S-s-sure!"

Lo grabbed Wyatt by the hand and pulled him towards the lift.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I know I should be concentrating," Wyatt scratched his head, "but the warmth of Lo's gloved hand... ummmmmmm... huh? Ahem... I mean, I know I will be concentrating..."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

The next time at the starting gate, Lo observed as Wyatt headed down the course. Following her advice, Wyatt leaned more into the each of first couple turns... and made them with no problem at all.

"Hey, I'm doing it!"

But the brief lapse of concentration was enough to make him late to turn as he passed through the third gate. He leaned too far inward to make up the difference... and promptly fell to the ground. Luckily, still being near the top, he wasn't going that fast yet... but he had already slid past the fourth gate before he stopped.

"Ouch..."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I'm going to show Lo that I can do this!" Wyatt said, from... a video room, "once I get a little bit more help."

He pressed play on the DVD player and listened as the instructional video began to play.

"Chapter Nine," stated the narrator, "'How to Slalom for Dummies!'"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Finally, it was time for the challenge to begin. All five competitors were with Allen at the finish line, and the host was holding a small purple sack in his hands.

"Okay, time to draw the running order for the first trip down the course," Allen said them. "We'll do another draw for the second run, with how many of you manage to get that far."

One at a time, everyone reached in, and each pulled out a little marble, with a number between 1 and 5 on it.

* * *

And drawing number 1... was Wyatt.

"C'mon," he kept telling himself. "You can do this. You can do this!"

"You'll get it this time, Wyatt!" cheered Lo, third in line with only Lindsay between them. "I know you will!"

"Okay, so now she's cheering for me... now I'll feel even worse if I screw up!"

Wyatt got the signal to take off... and away he went! Showing immediate progress, he got past the first few gates with no problem. He was following Lo's advice, as well as those from the DVD, and he was actually making his way through the course.

Coming up upon the first group of lined-up gates, he started to struggle. After going through the first, he turned a little too hard to make the second. He managed to stay on his feet, but he had lost a good deal of speed and momentum in the process. But he got past the other gates because of it.

Wyatt kept steady as he went down the remainder of the course, including another set of gates in a straight line. He made it through there, too, and easily let the hill carry him down between the final few gates and across the finish line.

After coming to a stop, he smiled and raised his poles in triumph. Wyatt's first run time was clocked at 55.70 seconds.

* * *

Second up with Lindsay, and she too was determined to make her first competition run her first successful trip down the mountain.

Though not quite as aggressive as Wyatt, she weaved her way through the course. In each of the straight-line sections, her skis clipped the gates a few times, and she was on the receiving end of a few more lashes, adding on to the many she had gotten in practice.

Persevering through the pain, Lindsay did manage to reach the finish line, both on her feet and without missing any gates.

"I made it!" Lindsay shouted, jumping up and down for joy. "I really made it!"

Lindsay had crossed the line with a time of 57.13.

* * *

As clouds began to cover the course, Lo was third to compete in the first round. And again, she was making it look easy. Even as the course started getting choppy in the sharpest turns near the bottom, Lo continued to keep her composure and form and rocketed her way to the finish line.

Glancing up at the scoreboard, she knew she was in good shape when she noted she was more than three seconds clear of Wyatt's time.

Lo had gotten through the course in a time of 52.39.

* * *

Reef had steadily improved through the practice session, and it showed as he was able to maneuver his skis the way he wanted as he progressed down the hill. He was making pretty good time as he reached the second straight-line set of gates, but as he went through them he felt a raindrop or two hit his shoulder.

He kept his balance but eased up just a little as he came out of it, then he glided past the final few gates and across the line, where a light drizzle was falling.

Reef felt the chilly raindrops hit his hair and his face after he took off his goggles and helmet, and headed for cover as soon as he saw his time.

Reef's first run was good enough to put him in second, at 53.27.

* * *

Harold was the last to go, and he saw the conditions start to get hairy at the start gate too, as a little bit of fog rolled in.

Still, Harold had to cope with the hand he had been dealt, and he headed out on the course. Though he had struggled on skis back in the biathlon, Harold was a different animal in these short, downhill events.

Visibility cleared up as he exited the first-third of the course and whipped through the first straight-line section. He picked up speed as he continued along at a torrid pace. But he, too, ran into the raindrops towards the bottom, and he tried to account for the new conditions.

Making his turns a little less aggressively, Harold skied through the bottom portion of the course and got to the finish line.

Harold was happy with his result, as he seemed undaunted about being just a hair out of the lead. He crossed in 52.71, a tick over three-tenths of a second behind Lo.

* * *

"I'm impressed," Allen admitted, holding the purple marble-filled bag from before once again, "you all made it down! Even in World Cup competitions, that's a rare sight."

"What can I say," Lindsay shrugged, "we're all experts at this now!"

"Heh," chuckled Allen, "let's see if you're all still smiling after the second run, especially with the weather worsening!"

* * *

After the second draw, Reef found himself the first to tackle the rapidly deteriorating course for the second time.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I have to win this challenge!" Reef declared. "If I don't, I'm gonna end up going home for sure... and I'm determined to not let that happen!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Following an extended break to try and make the course as passable as possible, Reef stood up in the starting gate, ready to go.

"This is for all the marbles!"

With that shout, Reef set off. A steady drizzle had now blanketed almost the entire course, which threatened to make it slippery. Reef, though, tried to stay as aggressive as he could as he got through the first-third.

He eased up prior to the first straight-line section and carefully carved his way through. Immediately following, he hit a brief area of gates where no rain had fallen. But before he knew it, Reef was feeling raindrops again.

Reef tried to ignore the rain as he concentrated to keep his form steady and his feet flat on the slick ground. He kept control into, through, and out of the second straight-line gate group, and got to the finish line.

Coming to a stop, Reef's eyes quickly raced to the scoreboard. He wiped away a few raindrops from his goggles so he could see it.

His time for the second run was 56.51, more than three seconds slower than his first run. His total combined time was 1:49.78.

"Man," he shook his head as he walked off. "I hope that holds up."

* * *

Lindsay had again drawn the number '2,' but was she prepared for the change in the course since her initial trip down the course?

As she set off with limited visibility and rain falling, she made her way through the first few gates. But her form wasn't the best, and she fought to keep her balance as she picked up speed.

Somehow, some way, she managed to reach the first set of straight-line gates. But that's where it all went wrong. She got into the first gate fine, then the second, but then she lost her footing trying to make the quick turn back for the third. Her left ski rose above the ground for a split second...

But that was enough. She passed the third gate before she could go through it, and was disqualified.

* * *

At the top of the hill, it was Harold's turn.

"Here goes nothing!"

Harold set off, into the drizzling rain. He could feel the course getting harder to navigate, especially with the combination of the rain and those who had gone before him pushing a lot of the artificial snow out of the racing line.

Which meant at times his skis were rattling along the actual part-grassy, part-rocky ground.

The rattling pounded away at his legs, and Harold felt the pain as he made his way down the course. He tried to grin and bear it as he reached where Lindsay had skied off-course, at the first straight-line section. The snow here was still partially intact, so that made it easier for Harold to quickly whip through... even if it meant clipping a few of the poles with his arms.

At the bottom of the hill, Reef was watching the monitor alone in the wet bleachers, as Lindsay had not made it all the way down yet, waiting to see if Harold would get to the finish.

Harold kept his speed up as best as possible as he got to the bottom of the course. He crossed the line, and immediately turned his head to the scoreboard.

His time was 58.03, which gave him a combined time of 1:50.74. He was dejected as he realized that was almost a full second slower than Reef, who blew a sigh of relief.

"Whew... dodged that bullet."

Harold walked off, wondering if he could've done any better.

* * *

Wyatt was next to go, and he was getting some extra advice from Lo as he stood in the starting gate.

"Ease up as much you can at the bottom," she told him. "It's going to be rough down there."

"But isn't the idea to be fast? Especially if one of us wants to beat Reef?"

"Yes. But let me worry about that. I want to make sure you get to the bottom safely."

"She cares about my safety," Wyatt thought to himself. "That's a sign, right?"

Lo stepped out of the starter area, and Wyatt lowered his goggles and prepared to head out.

"I'm going to get to the bottom, no matter what!"

_(End Act Three)_

* * *

A little drizzle continued to rain down most of the course as Wyatt got the signal to go. He took a deep breath and pushed out of the gate.

Wyatt could already feel the difference in the snow beneath his feet as he made his turn towards the first gate. His skis felt it too, as they began to hit some of the bare ground underneath the snow.

He made a late turn in-between the poles of the first gate, which threw him a bit off-line for the second... but it was still manageable. But as he continued along, he could feel his legs start to ache thanks to all the bumps his skis were constantly running over.

He arrived at the first straight-through section and swerved his way between the gates successfully. But then as he set up for the next gate, he felt the back of his skis start to come around on him. He tried to lean inward to correct it, but that actually turned the skies even faster.

Before he knew it, Wyatt was no longer on his feet and he was rolling on the ground. He tumbled arm-over-arm five times before sliding about ten feet. By the time he had stopped, two members of the resort staff were already on the way out to check on him.

* * *

At the finish line, Reef, Lindsay, and Harold had all watched it unfold on the big screen.

"I hope he's okay," stated a worried Lindsay.

"I think Reef lucked out getting number one," Harold admitted, "Lo is capable of getting down the course fast... but I'm not sure if she's aware of how treacherous the course is."

* * *

Up top, as Lo stood in the starting gate, she had heard per the staff's radios that Wyatt had crashed out. She worried about him as she anxiously awaited her shot to unseat Reef from the top of the podium.

* * *

Back at the bottom, the gang saw the two resort staff members had already unstrapped the skis from Wyatt's feet and they were talking with him. 20 seconds later, one of them helped him stand up. After that, Wyatt followed the officials off the course, under his own power.

"That's a relief," Lindsay sighed.

"It's time we start protecting our interests," Harold told Lindsay.

"Huh?"

"We need to protect ourselves should Lo be unable to best Reef's time."

"But how are we going to do that?"

Harold pointed out the answer... Reef himself.

* * *

At the top of the course, the rain had stopped as workers raced to keep the course intact enough for Lo to make a run on it. But she knew they wouldn't be able to do much... she'd have to rely on her own abilities to get to the bottom safely.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Let's see," Lo explained her options. "I win, I have to throw Reef into the Elimination Challenge, as well as one of my friends. But if Reef wins, he gets to throw two people in... and one of them could be me. But... he's the last person here who'd throw me into the challenge. I think I'm safe either way.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

After waiting for 11 minutes, Lo finally got the signal to go ahead. She shook the nerves out of her head, arms, and limbs, trying to get rid of all of the thoughts in her brain...

Except for the ones that told her how to ski.

She took a deep breath... and pushed off onto the course. Even though it was not raining at the top anymore, some of the rain had mixed with the artificial snow, making it melt as Lo's skis ran over it instead of just being tossed aside.

Lo could spot the rough patches on the upper part of the course, so she guided herself around them. But she quickly realized that she would have to go through some of them if she had any hope of besting Reef's time. But like Harold and Wyatt before her, she felt the bumps of the ground as she ran over them.

She did her best to ignore the pain as she sped through the first straight-line section of gates as fast as possible by swerving through as close to an actual straight line as she could manage.

At the bottom, Reef, Lindsay, and Harold kept their eyes on the overall clock. A minute and 19 seconds, 20 seconds, 21 seconds...

Conditions at halfway had remained as close to what they were at the start of the competition, so Lo tucked in and got aggressive, in an attempt to shave some seconds off her time. Back to attacking the course, she seemed in her element as she carved a path to the bottom of the course.

She couldn't see the clock, but she knew she had to push it as she came upon the second and final straight-line section. Reef looked on nervously as Lo got through with almost as little movement as in the first section. From there, it was through the final few gates and onto the finish line.

Lo was already pushing her goggles up to the top of her helmet as she brought herself to a stop. Turning her attention to the scoreboard, she saw her time appear.

For her second run, 58.77 seconds. That meant her combined time for the two runs was... 1:51.16.

"**YEAH!**" Reef yelled from the stands. "I win! I win!"

"How can that be?" Lo asked herself as she replayed her run in her head. "I swore I was going fast enough..."

Meanwhile, Reef continued to dance in the stands.

* * *

While the results were being confirmed, Harold was trying to bargain with Reef for survival.

Or was he?

"I understand if you want to throw me into the Elimination Challenge," Harold said to Reef. "But don't throw Lindsay in too! She's not a threat to you."

"Eh," Reef hesitated, "I like having her around... but if Fin were here, she'd want me to throw her in."

"But she's not! Look, the choice is easy. Pick Wyatt. He's a nice guy, but you need to pick two people... and I doubt you want to throw in Lo."

"Look, I'm my own man! I'm doing what's in the best interests of myself and the Olympic games!"

"And that means you're picking..."

"I don't know yet! I'm thinking, okay?"

* * *

"I was 'this' close to a new car," Lo told Wyatt, holding her thumb and index finger a couple inches apart.

"Looks like Mother Nature and Lady Luck shined on Reef," Wyatt concluded. "If not for them, you would've won for sure."

They looked at Lindsay, who still had her helmet on for some odd reason. One the two of them practically begged her with their eyes to tell them why.

"I don't want my hair getting wet, okay?"

Allen showed up just as Reef and Harold walked in from wherever they had been talking.

"Time to make the results official. Reef?"

Allen presented Reef with an imitation gold medal.

"As winner of today's challenge, you win a brand-new 2010 Toyota Corolla!"

"Sweet!"

"You also now have a decision to make. You must pick two of your four competitors to throw into the Elimination Challenge. Understand that whomever you throw in, only one of them will emerge as one of your competitors. The other will be sent home."

Reef looked over his choices and thought long and hard about whom he was going to pick.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I wanted to make sure the two people I least wanted to win the grand prize were the two that were thrown in the Elimination Challenge," explained Reef. "When I thought about it that way, the decision became easy."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"My picks... are Lo and Lindsay."

"You picked me?" Lo asked, shocked.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"He picked me?" Lo repeated.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"But I'm your friend!" she pleaded.

"And I thought you liked me!" added Lindsay.

"This wasn't what I had in mind when I talked to you a minute ago," growled Harold.

"Have a heart, guys!" Reef said aloud. "The only reason I picked Lo and Lindsay was because I thought they were the least worthy to win the grand prize."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"They're both girls."

Everyone gasped.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Reef's not a nice guy after all," complained Lindsay. "And he threw Lo and I in the challenge because we're girls? I seem to remember the last time I was on a reality show and someone railed against girls, that person was the first one voted off. So now everyone knows what they must do! Make Reef the first person voted off! Or better yet, throw him into the Elimination Challenge!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Reef was hiding behind Allen, as Lo tried to reach over and strangle him. But Wyatt was holding her back.

"It's not worth it," Wyatt shouted. "It's not worth it!"

"I... think I'll explain the rules of the Elimination Challenge at the top of the course," Allen decided.

* * *

A few minutes later, Allen was behind the starting gates with Lo and Lindsay. Both girls had their skis back on, but neither was happy with the reason they had been selected.

"I can't believe Reef would do something like that," Lindsay shook her head.

"This has just got to be the stupidest thing he's ever done," groaned Lo.

"Even if you disagree with the decision," Allen told them, "all that I care about is that he picked you two. And thus, welcome to... 'The Final Slalom Run!' Which, actually doesn't need much explaining. Both of you have to make another run down the slalom course. Whomever gets to the finish line in the fastest time stays in the game and advances to the final day of competition tomorrow. The other person... goes home!"

"That's so unfair," whined Lindsay.

"Uh, the intention of the Elimination Challenge is to send someone home. It's completely fair!"

* * *

The boys were waiting at the finish line as they saw Lindsay step into the starting gate.

"I can't believe you did that," Wyatt told Reef. "The girls were very upset, and rightfully so!"

"You should be thanking me!" responded Reef. "I could've thrown you in instead."

"How is this decision of yours even strategically sound?" Harold asked. "If you think there's a chance the final challenge is also on the slopes, then I understand Lo. But why Lindsay?"

"I told you... she doesn't belong her."

"Because she's a girl?"

"Yes. Because she's a girl."

"Do you live in the 1600's or something? Guys don't act like you just did anymore?"

"Actually," Wyatt hesitantly admitted, "he kinda reminds of Jonesy."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lindsay had just left the starting gate, beginning the Elimination Challenge. At this point, the only place it was raining was at the bottom of the course. But the damage had been done, and getting down the hill one more time wasn't going to be easy.

Lindsay got through the first few turns, in pretty much the same way she did on her previous run. Again, she was a little off-balance as she reached the first straight-line section, but this time she kept her feet on the ground and she managed to clear all of the gates.

She then passed the area where Wyatt had fallen a little while back and made that right-hander, but coming back across for the next left turn, she cut a bit too deep to the inside as she was heading for the blue pole of the next gate.

She tried to get her feet to go around the right side of the pole. Her right ski managed to pass by the pole on its right. Her left ski, however, pushed the pole down and to the right... meaning it had gone by on the left side.

Lindsay, thinking she had cleared the gate after her ski came off it, continued down the course...

* * *

Despite the treacherous conditions, Lindsay managed to clear all the other gates and crossed the finish line. As she came to a stop, she glanced to the clock on the scoreboard.

But all she saw were the letters 'DNF' next to her name.

"Sorry, Lindsay," apologized Allen.

"What happened? I made it to the finish line!"

Allen pointed to the replay on the big screen, and Lindsay saw the incident in question.

"Your left ski passed by the outside of that gate," Allen explained. "Unfortunately, that means that you've been disqualified."

Lindsay gasped. "Does that mean I have to go home now?"

"Nope. You have a chance to stay in the game... provided Lo also fails to make it to the finish line."

* * *

Back at the top, Lo had just put her goggles down and was ready to launch out of the starting gate. She had not been told what had happened on Lindsay's run. Her focus was on getting to the finish as fast as she could.

Navigating the course, this time around she tried to stick to the fastest line as much as she could withstand the bumpiness of skiing on ground with very little snow on it. She got to the first straight-line section, and zigzagged through it with ease.

Everyone watched from the finish, Lindsay and Allen near the finish, and the boys in the stands, as Lo continued to charge down the course. She continued to fight through the bumpy course, making turn after turn and passing through all of the gates correctly.

She came upon the second straight-line section. Her speed made it impossible to go through it as closely as she did the first time, but she cut her way left and right, working her legs and her skis hard to make the turns.

Upon clearing those gates, she raced towards the finish line. She had a smile across her face as she skidded to a stop. She felt that she had put down a great time even given the course conditions. Her thoughts turned out to be true, as a time of 56.05 seconds was showing on the scoreboard.

"You did it, Lo!" Wyatt shouted from the stands.

Lo was ecstatic, but she still wondered why Wyatt was prematurely celebrating. There was no time next to Lindsay's name on the board... he must know her time was faster. But why would he spoil the surprise.

Allen and Lindsay came out, and Lindsay immediately ran over to Lo and gave her a hug.

"Congratulations!"

"What... why are you..."

"Lo, if you would please turn around and look at the videoboard..."

Lindsay let go of Lo and let her do so, and the cautious skier watched the replay of Lindsay's run. It wasn't long before she saw Lindsay's fatal mistake.

"As you can see... Lindsay did not clear that gate correctly. Therefore, she did not finish her run. Since you did, you have won the challenge... and you are still in the game."

"So that's why..."

"Lindsay," Allen turned to the blonde, "you've gotten far in this competition. But unfortunately, your road ends here... one day away from the final challenge. Lindsay, it's time for you to go."

This time, it was Lo who reached over and hugged Lindsay.

"Good luck," Lindsay wished Lo.

"Thanks. You take care, okay?"

They released each other. Lindsay then turned to the stands, and waved goodbye to the guys.

"Good luck guys!"

"Good luck," all three guys said back.

Lindsay then headed out of the spectator area and out towards the parking lot, where she would wait in the drizzling rain for a ride to the airport. And she did it with her helmet still on her head.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I guess that's it for me," confessed Lindsay. "I never imagined how many new people I would meet here. As well some old people I had met before. I made a lot of new friends on this show, and I hope I can keep in contact with all of them.

"Fifth place is a lot more than anyone expected. Heck, I didn't think I'd finish anywhere near here! I've got to hand it to these Olympic athletes... these events were some of the hardest things I've ever done! No wonder they call themselves the best in the world!

"My money's on Lo to win. Just because she's gotta stand up for us girls! I would be fine if Harold wins too. He deserves it. As for Reef... let's just say I hope someone treats him to humble pie! I would do it myself... but I don't have any money to buy pie."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

The guys had come out of the stands and had joined Lo in front of Allen.

"And then there were only four," Allen said to them. "It's been a long, hard two weeks. But now, the real finish line is within sight. I want each of you take a good luck at who's still here..."

The four did as they were told, as they sized up their competition.

"Tonight will be your last night in Vancouver. Tomorrow night, one of the four of you will be declared the winner of 'Fresh from Canada.' Until then... enjoy the rest of your day."

Reef, Wyatt, Lo, and Harold left the arena, relieved that they had made it to the end of the show. But they also knew that only one of them was going to walk out a winner.

They were going to have to fight it out to see who that was.

To be concluded...

* * *

(Next time, on the final episode of 'Fresh from Canada'...)

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" someone yelled, charging into the apartment.

(The final day of competition pushes the four remaining teens hard...)

"I don't think I can do this!" Lo shook in fear.

"Is $250,000 really worth risking our lives?" Harold asked Allen. "Again?"

Jude watched as Wyatt collapsed on the ground in front of him.

"That tough, dude?"

Fin punched Reef in the side of his left arm.

"Ow!" he shouted. "What was that for?"

(And their greatest test stands before them...)

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"If it's going to take breaking every bone in my body to win," Lo declared. "Then I'll willingly break every bone in my body!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Is that accurate?" Reef winced as he saw '150 kph' on the screen.

"I have something I want to say!" announced Wyatt.

(But only one of them can be the winner...)

The competitor flew off the edge of the final ramp and into the air, and all eyes were on him as he went for the biggest stunt of all.

"A million dollars says he lands face-first in the snow!" Duncan betted.

"You're on!" Harold agreed, before taking a step back. "Wait a minute..."

(Who... will... it... be?)

"The judges have made their decision!" exclaimed Allen. "The winner of 'Fresh from Canada'... is..."

('Fresh from Canada': The Final Episode - Two weeks from tonight!)


	11. The Freshly Squeezed Recap

"Fresh from Canada"  
The Freshly Squeezed Recap  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

(So when we started this game, 20 teenagers from three Canadian cartoons created by Fresh TV, Incorporated, were gathered at the host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics - Vancouver! On the line, a prize of $250,000, VIP tickets to three Olympic event finals, a trip to the Opening Ceremonies, and, most importantly, the company's official representative at the Olympic Games.)

"Finally!" Heather cried out. "Now **THIS** is what I call a reality show!"

(Before the teenagers could even compete in Olympic-sanctioned events, they first had to prove they could not only represent the company with honor, but their country as well. Before they could move into their new digs for the next two weeks, the teenagers had to run through the Olympic Athletes' Village, finding flags representing the country's 13 provinces.)

(Emma and Lo quickly decided to work together to enhance their chances of continuing in the game. Fin decides to go alone, and she nearly wins the challenge... until she learns twelve does **NOT** equal thirteen.)

"Noooo!"

(Courtney just edges out Jen, coming in with the fastest time and putting herself in the running to choose the pairings for the rest of the competition. Meanwhile, with the two slowest girls going home, Nikki collides with Lindsay on the course, dropping some of her flags in the process.)

"Hey, watch where you're going, blondie!"

(It ends up costing Nikki, who ironically gets edged out by Lindsay for the eighth and final female qualifying spot... despite help from Jen, perceived as unauthorized by Courtney.)

As Lindsay celebrated, Jen and Nikki, the latter for the first time, shot scornful looks at Courtney. Unsurprisingly, she shot one back at them.

(Nikki goes home with Bridgette, who proves that the Winter Games are not her forte...)

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

Bridgette sighed. "So here I am, one of the first ones out. Again!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(As for the boys, the race to be one of the final eight guys was... let's just say a whole lot more physical.)

Tyler bent down and picked up the flag, the one for Nova Scotia, and continued east. Reef and Jonesy motioned to do the same... until they both grabbed the same flag!

"I got it first!" Reef shouted.

"No, I did, so back off!" Jonesy shouted back.

(Courtney cheered Duncan on... and cheered Duncan on... and cheered Duncan on...)

"**DUNCAN!**" Courtney yelled. "**YOU'D BETTER PASS HIM, OR ELSE!**"

(Reef proved to be the male equivalent of Fin as he was the first one back, but he too was also minus one of the required flags. Wyatt and Cody surprised everyone by being the first two to get to their boards, proving brains mean more than brawn. Cody finishes first, also claiming the fastest time... and he melts when Gwen congratulates him.)

"Wow..." Cody blushed, "um, thanks?"

(Johnny was too distracted trying to impress Emma, while Duncan decided spending one more minute with Courtney was too much to bear. Both of them were sent home. Emma was sad; Courtney was peeved.)

Duncan gave everyone a two finger salute and then turned about to go, which everyone but Courtney, who refused to look in his direction, acknowledged.

(With the power to pick everyone's teams, the other 15 remaining competitors try to convince Cody to set things up for their benefit.)

Cody shook his head. "I haven't decided yet... all I know is I don't want Lindsay or Heather."

Gwen smiled as she took a seat on the ledge and beckoned Cody to plop down next to her.

"Why don't I help you out with that?"

(After getting advice from the girl of his dreams, who was practically screaming to be paired up with him, Cody goes and picks... Jen? Right voice actress, wrong girl with similarly sounding name!)

"Whoa..." Gwen commented. "Didn't see that coming."

(Understandably, that's far from the most disliked team pairing, as Reef and Fin continue to play the 'yell at each other so much to hide the fact we like each other' card, hottie Lindsay ends up with nottie Harold, and Jen inexplicably sets up her stepbrother with her athletic equal in Courtney.)

Jonesy raised his eyes suggestively at Courtney. The overachiever responded... by reaching over the table and emptying the leftover contents of her salad bowl on Jonesy's hair.

(The eight teams' first Olympic event is Short Track Speed Skating. The White Team becomes instant favorites to win it all as Jonesy and Courtney capture the competition's first pair of imitation gold.)

"Did I ever say how awesome you are?" Courtney squealed as she gave Jonesy a hug.

"I'm beginning to like this partnership more and more," Jonesy said with a smile.

(On a binge to throw out the weaklings, as well as settle a boiling rivalry from her past, Courtney throws the Blue and Green Teams into the first Elimination Challenge. Tyler proves again that he is the world's worst jock by crashing out all on his own; he gets sent home with partner Emma, who lacks a competitive edge; Harold and Lindsay refuse to let Courtney get them kicked out without a challenge.)

(Reef thinks Harold and Lindsay are **SO** making out in celebration. Everyone laughs. The claws come out as Jen and Gwen learn they're sharing an apartment with Courtney and Heather.)

"**I'M SLEEPING HERE!**"

"**YOUR BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD, SO GET UP ALREADY!**"

"**WHAT ARE YOU NOW, MY MOM?**"

"**ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD?**"

(Next up is a figure skating pairs' competition. The girls are entranced, the boys are heartbroken. Reef almost ends up sending Fin to the hospital again, but after surviving a fall still almost pulls out anyway because she hates her dress.)

"What is this, the 1970s?"

(Seeking revenge, Harold and Lindsay form an alliance with Wyatt and Lo, with the goal of getting all of the stronger competitors out of the competition. Trent and Gwen win the challenge and unofficially help the alliance by selecting their two prime targets: Courtney and Heather - along with their partners, Jonesy and Jude - for the Elimination Challenge.)

(Courtney, for once, is the one who screws up and falls, costing her and Jonesy a spot in the next competition. Sorry Court... this time, you lost fair and square.)

Courtney huffed as she stormed off the ice. Jonesy waved farewell to Jude and Jen before following his partner out.

(Heather accidentally stumbles across a meeting between the two allied teams, then tries to blackmail Lo into working for her, threatening to reveal the secret alliance to the other teams if she doesn't. Lo gets so mad she thinks about firing a rifle at Heather's head! Good news... the next event is the Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing **AND** target shooting!)

(In the challenge, the unfavorable conditions cause Trent to crash on the course, and he takes Jude out with him. Gwen and Heather see their chances of winning the challenge take a huge hit; Jen sees hers go up in smoke when she realizes the fact that she's the fastest skier of them all is made moot by the fact that Cody is one of the slowest. As for Reef...)

"You **MISSED** four?" Fin screamed as she saw Reef ski towards her and the start of the penalty loop.

(Lo shocks everyone by using good skiing form and a fairly steady-hand at rifle shooting to win the challenge with her partner, Wyatt. Heather's not happy Lo didn't slow down to let her win; Lo tries to keep her from outing the alliance by throwing her into the Elimination Challenge. She miscalculates, though, by placing Heather and Jude against an exhausted Gwen and an injured Trent. Heather survives, promises to make Lo's life a living you-know-what; Trent and Gwen go home, their future as a couple still up in the air.)

(Fin's upset Lo tried to form an alliance without her and Reef, unaware at that very moment Reef is setting up an alliance with Jen and Cody behind Fin's back.)

"We just wanna get rid of Heather," Cody added. "Then, it'll be every team for themselves the rest of the way!"

"Deal!" Reef exclaimed, shaking hands with his team's new partners.

(The five remaining teams then nearly have heart attacks when they learn they're competing in the Luge, where speeds on the track reach over 90 miles an hour. Jen calls the track a safety hazard; Heather calls her a baby and a chicken, then gets carried of the track during practice on a stretcher, citing an injured arm. But teams get a break when they learn the winner won't be picking two teams to throw into the Elimination Challenge, but rather are being given the chance to shake up the membership of the two teams.)

(Suddenly, all the guys clamor to be paired with Lindsay; Jen tells Lindsay about her analysis of the deficiencies of her partner Cody; Lindsay forgets her promise to keep it a secret and Cody finds out, and again we wonder... why the heck did he pick Jen instead of Gwen?)

(Jen and Cody have a falling out, but get back on the ball in time for the challenge... only to see Cody crash and have to be taken to the hospital. Ouch.)

"Are you okay?" Jen asked as the medics brought Cody off the track to be formally checked for injuries.

"Man, that was a nasty spill, wasn't it?" Cody said in reply, his good feelings obviously still intact.

(More people also get sent off in an ambulance, but the competition is completed without anybody dying. Heather and Jude win, and Jude takes control by trading Heather for Fin. Fin's a bit surprised; Reef is clearly distraught; Heather's smiling because, really, it was her plan all along for it to work out this way.)

"The best thing about now having Reef as a teammate..." Heather said to herself while she sat on her bed, "is that he can help me personally put his friends Lo and Fin in the next Elimination Challenge!"

(Returning from a trip to the hospital, Lo shockingly develops what Wyatt believes is 'feelings for him.' Jen blames herself for Cody's injuries, both debate whether it's worth continuing on.)

(Jen perks up when the next event is announced to be Snowboard Cross, an event that should be a piece of cake for her to win. She and Cody try their best, but come up just short when Fin and Jude score one more point than them after the event's six races. Fin and Jude reward the close competition with Cody and Jen... by tossing them into the Elimination Challenge. The hope is that they can finally send Harold and Lindsay, whom they deem not worthy of still being in the game, home.)

(But even the best make mistakes, and Jen commits one in a blocking attempt that goes awry, allowing Harold to beat her and Cody to the finish line... sending the troubled pair unexpectedly home.)

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I made the wrong move, trying to block when I should've just kept on going," admitted Jen. "I would've beaten Harold to the finish otherwise."

"It only takes one mistake to get eliminated," Cody stated, "and today, we were the ones who made it."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(Lo decides it's a good idea to go sunbathing when it's 38 degrees outside. Fin thinks her friend's lost a few brain cells. Lindsay believes Fin is a threat to their alliance and puts her in the queue line ahead of Heather. Then her plans are derailed when she and Fin are placed on the same super-team for the Curling challenge.)

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Fin and I are on the same team! That makes it a lot harder to get rid of her, you know!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

(Heather and Lo turn out to be the more volatile pair of girls, still working out their issues from Heather's blackmail attempt. Wyatt informs everyone that, yes, he is actually in this competition, by taking charge and getting the two to work together long enough to win the challenge. The losing super-team of Fin, Lindsay, Jude, and Harold is split back up and sent into the Elimination Challenge.)

(Lindsay again proves competence is a word she knows the meaning of, as she sweeps Harold's stone into the scoring circle, winning them their record third Elimination Challenge. Jude wished the others good luck; Fin had a moment with Reef.)

"Awww..." cooed Lindsay. "That's so sweet!"

(And then two said farewell. Back at the apartment, things got real when the tiff between Heather and Lo reaching its tipping point, as Lo tried to physically assault Heather. Producers had to be called in; Heather had to be sent to temporary sleeping quarters for the night; Wyatt went to bat for Lo to try and keep her from being sent home for endangering another competitor.)

(All six were surprised when not only was Lo allowed to remain in the game, but that the three pairs were dissolved and recombined into one mega-team for a little game of Ice Hockey. But the game went from a challenge to a near-impossible feat, when they learned they would be playing against the competitors from the last three teams eliminated.)

"This can't be!" gasped Harold.

"This is a nightmare," Heather shook her head in disbelief. "My worst nightmare!"

(Thanks to some great calls on the ice, Team All-Stars rebounded from an early deficit and beat Team Canada, assuring that none of the remaining six competitors were safe from being thrown into the Elimination Challenge. It was no surprise that they threw Heather in, and this time pegged Reef as the sure-bet ringer. This time, finally, the favorite survived, as Reef completed the skills challenge in a faster time than Heather, sending the queen of mean packing.)

(Reef flirts with Lindsay again; Wyatt thinks Lo has feelings for him again; Wyatt overhears part of a conversation... the part where Lo thinks Wyatt isn't boyfriend material; he goes and curls up in a ball for the rest of the night. Gee... are any of the relationships on this show **NOT** one-sided?)

(Reef finally notices that there are five people left in the competition, four are in an alliance, and he... isn't. He begs Lo to not throw him into the next Elimination Challenge if she wins, and he promises to do the same.)

(The remaining competitors hit the slopes for Skiing Slalom. Lo instantly shows off in practice that she's the favorite to win, but everyone else gets good enough to mount a decent challenge. Weather gets really, really crappy, Reef takes advantage of a favorable draw to put up a decent time, then watches as Lo tries to beat it... but falls just short.)

"**YEAH!**" Reef yelled from the stands. "I win! I win!"

(Reef wins a new car, then goes against his promise by chucking Lo into the Elimination Challenge along with the worst skier in the group, Lindsay. Why?)

"They're both girls."

(Lindsay puts up a decent time, but is disqualified when video replay shows her missing a gate. Lo not only clears the course cleanly, she also records a better time, making the decision easier. Lindsay, we're tired of checking you out... so check out, girlfriend!)

"Good luck guys!"

(Now only four competitors are left... the rambunctious Reef, the worrisome Wyatt, the hyperactive Harold, and the lovely Lo. Only one of them can win it all! Who will win the final challenge? Find out next time on the finale of... 'Fresh from Canada!')

End of Recap


	12. Episode Ten, Part 1

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Ten (Part One)  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Previously...

"Now now," redirected Wyatt. "Guys pay attention to you too. You have a cute smile..."

Lo gasped. "You think... my smile is cute?"

Wyatt is unsure of whether Lo has feelings for him...

"You don't want this opportunity to pass you by!"

"You make it sound so easy."

"I mean, we work well together," he heard Lo said. "And I do like his hair..."

Wyatt smiled as he ran his hand through his locks.

"But... he's not exactly a hottie..."

"Ohhhhhhhhh..." Wyatt mumbled as he lied face-down into the pillows on his bed.

"That bad?" Harold asked, dumbfounded.

"Exactly! I feel like, if I wanted to, I could share my deepest, darkest secrets with him. That's how friendly I feel about him."

Reef begins to panic when he realizes he's the odd man out...

"Once he's gone, it'll just be the four of us. Then, it's everyone for themselves."

"I can't believe you'd do this to me, Lo!"

"It's not like you didn't know! Besides, that's what alliances do!"

"Then let me join the alliance."

"I'm pretty, pretty sure it doesn't count as an alliance if everyone is in it."

The five remaining competitors love the prize they're playing for...

"A car?" Reef freaked out.

"You're giving us a car?" squealed Lo.

"This is the happiest day of my life," said Wyatt.

Lindsay learns the meaning of slalom the hard way...

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow..."

The others winced as they heard Lindsay's cries of agony and pain.

"She does know she's supposed to go around those, right?" Lo asked the other competitors.

And both Mother Nature and Lady Luck were in Reef's corner...

"**YEAH!**" Reef yelled from the stands. "I win! I win!"

Reef then threw the two girls into the Elimination Challenge...

"I can't believe Reef would do something like that," Lindsay shook her head.

"This has just got to be the stupidest thing he's ever done," groaned Lo.

But how much did the decision affect Lo and Lindsay on the course...

"Your left ski passed by the outside of that gate," Allen explained. "Unfortunately, that means that you've been disqualified."

There's only four competitors left. Which one of them will claim the grand prize? The answer might be revealed here, on the finale of... 'Fresh from Canada!'

* * *

Twenty teens  
Two weeks  
One grand prize

For some, it's another chance at glory  
For others, they're newbies on the reality scene

They lived through tons of total drama  
They've experienced what it's like to be 6teen  
They know how it feels to be stoked

But none of them has had the chance to be an Olympic athlete

Until now

Skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and yes, even curling  
That's because they're all from Canada  
They'll experience them all  
While living like bonafide Olympic athletes  
But they're not from all over the world...

They're just... FRESH FROM CANADA!  
[presented in HD print where available]

* * *

Harold, Lo, Reef, and Wyatt were sitting inside the van, which was heading back to the Olympic Village. They were already thinking about how to spend their last night in Vancouver. Well, three of them were, anyway.

"I can't believe you did that, Reef!"

Lo was still upset about Reef's decision to throw her into the Elimination Challenge, and it showed on her face.

"I was doing what I thought was best for the competition," Reef said in his defense.

"By trying to get rid of me or Lindsay? Who do you think should have won that competition, huh? Me!"

"She's right, man," Wyatt sided with her. "She was the best skier out of all of us."

"I concur," nodded Harold. "If the weather had cooperated, she would've smoked us all!"

"What does it matter?" Reef said in response, unconcerned. "You're still here, right? Besides, if anyone should be upset, it should be me! I sent Lindsay home! **LINDSAY!** I made a sacrifice for the greater good here!"

"Ugh!" Lo growled as she turned away from Reef. "You're worse than Heather!"

"What? No way am I worse than that witch!"

"Heather was pretty witchy," Wyatt added as he put a hand on Lo's shoulder. "Let's not say things we can't take back."

"I think we need to all just calm down," Harold cut in. "Reef's decision was clearly sexist and wrong..."

"Hey!"

"But, what's done is done. There's only one challenge left! By this time tomorrow, one of us is going to be $250,000 richer!"

"Finally! Something we can all agree on!"

"I wonder what having that kind of money feels like," Wyatt dreamed.

"Meh," shrugged Lo, "it's not as much as you think."

"Says you," Wyatt looked back at her. "Your family's loaded."

"Still, to have my own money... to spend however I want! The possibilities... they're endless!"

"I hear ya," Reef agreed. "I don't even know what I'd buy first!"

"Why spend it all?" Harold asked him, leading into a suggestion. "You could just save it for college tuition."

"I never thought of that," Wyatt said in response. "I might do that too."

"Killjoys," grumbled Reef.

"Yeah," added Lo. "Why would you need to go to college?"

Wyatt gasped in shock.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I like Lo," Wyatt admitted. "I really, really, really like her. But her whole attitude about thinking everything she needs in life is going to be handed to her on a silver platter makes me worried."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Sure, you could go to college and meet a bunch of hotties and go partying every night..."

"Really?" Reef brightened up. "College doesn't sound so bad after all..."

"But I don't see why it's necessary for me. I'm going to inherit the resort at some point. I already know what I'm doing for the rest of my life."

"But what if that doesn't happen?" Wyatt told her. "Didn't you say you're not even the oldest child in your family?"

"Oh, come on... Ty? Daddy's not gonna pick him over me. I'm his sweet little angel!"

"But what if he does? Lo, you've got to have a back-up plan just in case! You can't just sit back and hope everything falls into place!"

Lo looked at Wyatt, not pleased at Wyatt's tone of voice.

"Since when did you start caring so much about my future?"

"What?" Wyatt did a double-take.

"Well?"

"Um..."

"Just say it, bro!" Reef shouted. "Tell her you're in love with her!"

"Ha!" Lo jumped out of her seat, pointing at Wyatt. "I knew it! You do like me!"

"Me? No... I mean yes... I mean, that is to say is that I care about you. As a friend! Care about you as a friend!"

"So smooth," Reef rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"As a friend? Friends don't think about the future as if they're going to spend it together."

"I wasn't even thinking about that! I just wanted to be sure you had a future to look forward to!"

"Sure... and I can imagine being waited on day and night, and hear the pitter-patter of three beautiful, adorable kids. No, wait, scratch that... kids are so bratty..."

Reef laughed. "Kids? You barely know the guy and you're thinking about kids?"

"Never thought you'd be already looking forward to parenthood at such an early age," Harold added in surprise.

Lo blushed. "What? When I said I was thinking about kids, I mean in general! Not necessarily with Wyatt!"

"I'm so confused," Wyatt scratched his head. "You're thinking about our kids, and I'm not even sure you like me like I like you?"

"How can there be kids when we haven't even gone on a date yet?"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"It's like the song goes," Lo explained. "First comes love, then marriage, and **THEN** the baby carriage! We have to get to marriage first!"

"Do girls seriously send mixed messages just to screw with guys?" Wyatt asked aloud. "Do they all really want to get in a relationship with me just so they can relish the day they stomp on my heart?"

"Wait," Lo waved her hands around, "can we scratch the last confession thingy? I meant to say that we have to get to love first! I have to admit that Wyatt is a sweet guy that I love to be around..."

"I bet Lo's just messing with me," Wyatt predicted, "we'll be all lovey-dovey, we'll get to a point where we're so in love I'll propose to her, and then... and then she'll say no! And she'll like saying no! She dreams of the day when she can shoot me down!"

"As a friend, as a friend! I'm really not even in love with him! Really! You believe me, right camera dude?"

The camera stood still for a few seconds, and then it moved up and down in a nodding motion.

"Really? Hey... you hesitated!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"So you're insisting we should go on a date?" questioned Wyatt.

"So you're asking me out on a date?" countered Lo.

"Can you just say yes," a frustrated Reef interrupted them. "Both of you! It's not gonna kill either of you!"

Suddenly, everyone heard the iPhone in Harold's pocket ring. As Harold pulled it out, the phone automatically answered the call... and Allen's face appeared on it.

"Allow me to help with the arrangements," Allen slyly suggested.

"Eh?" Lo glared at him. "Were you spying on us?"

"You're on a reality show," Allen responded. "We're taping you all the time, remember?"

All four of them looked up from the iPhone and at the two cameramen in the car, both with their cameras trained on the group.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's not a date for two. More like a farewell dinner for five... my treat!"

"Wicked awesome!" Harold exclaimed in gratitude.

"Freshen up and make yourselves look spectacular!" Allen told them. "The limo will pick you up from the apartment at a quarter past six!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Chris should really take hosting lessons from this guy," stated Harold. "He knows how to treat people right."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

A couple hours later, after showering and putting on their best clothes, the four teenagers were whisked away via limo to the northwest border of the city. After a 25-minute drive, their vehicle pulled up to The Boathouse Restaurant, which had great outdoor patio seating overlooking the Burrard Inlet and Horseshoe Bay.

Wyatt, Lo, Reef, and Harold were escorted to their table, in a section of outdoor patio tables facing the waterfront. Allen got up from his seat and greeted them as they approached the table.

"You guys sure you were skiing in the rain earlier?" Allen joked. "You all look great!"

He shook hands with each of the guys and hugged Lo before ushering them to take seats. Allen sat at the head of the table, with Harold to his immediate left and Reef next to him, while Lo and Wyatt were to his right.

After looking at the menus and ordering whatever they wanted, Allen began to chat with them as a group while they waited for their food.

"You've all been here in Vancouver for 15 days," he said to them. "It will be 16 tomorrow... the day one of you will be declared the winner of this competition. How do you guys feel about making it all the way to the end?"

"Incredible!" Reef quickly answered. "There were a few times when I got worried that I wouldn't make it. But I'm here, baby!"

"I was pretty determined to get here, despite everyone thinking I wasn't worthy," Harold admitted as he cracked a smile. "But what do they know? They've all been sent home, and I'm still here! Ha!"

"I probably wouldn't have been able to live with myself," stated Lo. "I'm practically in my backyard here. I don't know if I'd be able to face my friends if I was one of the first ones sent home. But I'm still here, and I feel like I can win this! I'm so stoked!"

"Personally," Wyatt said aloud, "this all feels like a dream to me. I was thinking Jen or Jonesy would be sitting here instead of me. I'm just glad I've made it this far."

"You've participated in eight different Winter Olympic events in this competition, guys. No sane person, honestly, would even attempt to do that."

All four of the teenagers chuckled at the thought.

"What was the hardest part about doing all these different sports over the course of these two weeks?"

"It was all of the training," replied Harold. "We had so much to learn and yet so little time."

"So, so little time," Wyatt added.

"How we did some of the things we've done and still looked half-decent at them... it's just unbelievable. These Olympic athletes train for one or two events for years. Years! And we had to do the same in hours... for eight different events!"

"For me," Lo explained, "it's definitely been the toll on my bodies. You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but every part of my body has been aching, especially the last few days!

The boys nodded in agreement, feeling the same way to different extents.

"We've had so little down time between events! You guys really should have thought of hiring a few full-time massagers to help us recover faster. I mean... I'm glad this is over tomorrow, because I'm totally spent!"

"I know I'm still sore from my crashes today," winced Wyatt.

"I'm gonna need a week full of spa days before I even begin to start feeling like myself!"

"Hypothetical question here," Allen moved on, "and I'm going to give you a few seconds to think about it. What if I were to tell you that the competition was over right now. By that, I mean there is no final challenge tomorrow, and a winner is going to be declared tonight."

"Are you serious?" Lo brightened up. "It's really over?"

"Um," Wyatt calmed her down, "hypothetical doesn't mean for real. He just means 'what if.'"

"Awww..."

"Anyway," Allen continued, "and here's the actual question... if you had to vote for the overall winner instead of deciding it in competition, who would you choose?"

Reef opened his mouth to answer, but Allen held up a hand to stop him.

"Hold on... let me just say that you can pick whomever you want, even yourself if you're so inclined, for whatever reason. Understand?"

The four of them nodded.

"Okay... now, I want you to point to your choice. On the count of three... one, two, three!"

Allen observed as Reef pointed at himself, as did Lo and Harold. Wyatt was the only one whose finger was directed away from him... and it was pointed at Lo.

"Wyatt... why?"

"What?" Wyatt nearly jumped out of his seat. "You never said we had to explain our pick!"

"You're the only who didn't pick themselves," Reef pointed out.

"I think it's sweet," Lo said as she looked at Wyatt. "Though I hope that you're not picking me just because you're in love with me!"

"Of course not! I picked you because you're an amazing person! You're great on skis, you rocked at snowboarding, you stood up to Heather... how many people can say they've done all three of those?"

"Not Reef," chuckled Harold.

"Hey now! I would've stood up to Heather if I wanted to!"

"You would have, but you were too busy sucking your thumb like a baby after you ended up paired with her!"

Lo laughed as Reef tried to deny Harold's claim.

"Oh, come on! I wasn't that upset!"

"You **SO** were," Lo said with a smirk.

"Okay, fine, I was. But you'd all be too if you got stuck with her!"

"No kidding," Wyatt said, sighing in relief.

* * *

An hour later, after getting their fill of delicious seafood, the four teens were ready to head back to the apartment. But Allen had one last thing for them to do, as he passed out envelopes to each of them. Without being prompted, they opened them easily, since none of them had been sealed, and they pulled out a page of paper with a bunch of names on it.

"There's one small detail about one portion of the grand prize that I've omitted to tell you guys about," Allen said to them. "And that is in regards to the attendance to the Opening Ceremonies."

The four had their full attention on Allen as he continued his explanation.

"We're not giving the winner of the competition just one ticket to the Opening Ceremonies... we're giving him or her two. That means that the winner will get to share that portion of the grand prize with someone else."

"Whoa!" Reef gasped. "For real?"

"When the winner is declared tomorrow, that person is responsible for declaring right then and there the one person they will be taking to the Opening Ceremonies with them. Here's the catch... you may only invite one of the 16 competitors who have already been eliminated. In other words, whomever wins tomorrow cannot pick anyone sitting at this table with them right now."

"That's so unfair!" complained Lo. "What if we really want to go with someone here?"

"Sorry, but that's the rules. Now, what you have in front of you is a ballot with the names of the 16 eliminated competitors. I want each of you to pick one and only one person, circle their name, fold the ballot back up, put it back in the envelope, and seal it. The person you pick is the one you will take with you to the Opening Ceremonies if you win tomorrow."

They all looked at the ballot and started to think about who they would choose, as Allen continued to talk.

"No collaboration... everyone must choose who they want by themselves. This is a secret ballot."

They went to work. Lo only needed a few seconds to decide before circling a name and folding up her ballot. Harold followed shortly thereafter, then Reef, and finally Wyatt, who took the longest. Once they were done and the envelopes were sealed, they were passed over to Allen.

"As this is a secret ballot, you guys are not allowed to talk about whom you chose. So... you're going to have to think of something else to speculate on back at your apartment tonight."

The four looked at each other, disappointed over having to keep their selections to themselves. Allen got up from his seat and bid them a good night.

"Until tomorrow... I suggest you get as much sleep as you can tonight. You're going to need all the energy you can muster tomorrow."

With that, Allen departed. Soon after, Reef, Wyatt, Harold, and Lo were escorted out to their limousine, to be taken back to their apartment so they could pack their things and get some sleep.

* * *

"Night, guys!"

Lo yawned as she unlocked the door into the girls' apartment, which she had all to herself for their last night in Vancouver. Once she disappeared inside and closed the door behind her, the boys unlocked theirs and went in as well.

"I guess we should start packing," suggested Wyatt.

"I ate so much," Harold admitted. "I'm so tired."

"Yeah," agreed Reef, as he hopped onto the couch and reached for the TV remote. "I just feel like lounging..."

* * *

But before they knew it, all four of them had fallen asleep, as the combination of heavy exhaustion and the filling of the stomachs had knocked them out. With clean and dirty clothes still littered about the two apartments, it seemed as if no one had done any actual packing.

Too bad, because as the clocks on the microwave read 4:30 am, the four remaining competitors were about to get a rude awakening.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" someone yelled, charging into the apartment.

Three people raced into the boys' apartment, one going over to the light switch by the entrance door and flicking it on and off, while the other two found some pots under the sink and started banging them against the counter.

That was enough to wake up Harold, who had been snoring on the floor, and Reef, who had drifted off still wearing the nice clothes he had worn to dinner the previous night, from their slumbers.

"What's going on here?" Reef yelled in a panic.

_(End Act One)_

* * *

Reef and Harold woke up to the sound of pots being banged and the lights flickering on and off, and as they forced their eyes open, they saw a few familiar faces.

"Fin and Lindsay?"

Upon being recognized, the two girls put the pots down and ran over to the couch.

"Time to wake up, knucklehead!" Fin exclaimed, pulling Reef off of the couch.

"I'm up, I'm up!"

"What's going on?" Harold asked as he pointed for Lindsay to hand him his glasses, which were on the table.

"I forget... oh, wait, now I remember! You have to get up, now!"

Lindsay pulled Harold to his feet. It was then that the guys noticed that the one who had been playing with the lights was Jude. And they also saw an annoyed Wyatt standing next to him, having come out of his room.

"Jude..." Wyatt squinted at his friend, "what are you doing?"

"Explain later, dude... just follow me downstairs!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the girls' apartment, Lo was fast asleep as well... until someone ran into her bedroom, turned on the lights, and started shaking her.

"Lo, wake up! Wake up!"

She had a sleeping mask over her eyes, so as Lo opened her eyes, she couldn't see who was trying to wake her. Thinking she was at home, she responded.

"Just five more minutes... ugh..."

"Oh, come on, wake up!"

It was actually Emma attempting to get her friend out of bed. But she saw that shaking her wasn't going to awaken her, she had to change tactics...

"Did I mention that I've got a brand new credit card here with your name on it?"

Lo sat up as if she was catapulted awake. She tossed aside the mask and turned to grab the card... when she saw Emma standing there.

"Emma?"

"That worked! Alright... we need to get downstairs, now! And I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Emma grabbed Lo by the arms, pulled her out of bed, and then tugged her towards the kitchen and out of the apartment.

* * *

Five minutes later, everyone was downstairs in the lobby. Allen was waiting for them... but he couldn't contain his laughter after seeing the state the four competitors were in. Each of them had the person who had woken them up standing to their left... and all of them were awake and ready to go despite the pre-dawn start.

"Oh, man!" he chuckled. "Talk about going from beauties to beasts overnight!"

"That's so unfair," argued Harold. "We didn't get a chance to put on deodorant..."

"Or do our hair," Lo said as she twirled her messy hair with her fingers.

"Or eat breakfast," Reef complained, holding his growling stomach.

"Need... coffee..." grumbled Wyatt.

"You'll get to do all of that shortly," Allen assured them.

"How about we go back to bed first?" all four asked.

"Nope! You've got a long, long, long day ahead of you all! First order of business... the people who had to drag you down here."

"Yeah..." Lo raised her hand as if to ask a question, "what was up with that?"

"You tell me... do they look familiar?"

"They're the losers we sent home already," commented Reef.

Fin punched Reef in the side of his left arm.

"Ow!" he shouted. "What was that for?"

"Easy, Fin," Allen told her. "I should explain why he deserved that."

"Please do, bro," grimaced Reef as he rubbed where he had been hit.

"Remember, last night at dinner, when I had you fill out those secret ballots?"

Harold quickly figured it out. "You brought in the people we picked, didn't you?"

"Correct! But sorry, you don't get a prize for that. Anyway, we took your ballots and paired you up with the person you selected."

"Hold on!" Reef objected. "But I chose Lind..."

Before he could finish, Fin punched him in the other arm.

"I'd take it easy on him," Allen warned her. "If you hurt him too badly, he won't be able to compete, and he can't win and take you to the Opening Ceremonies. And yes, I know you chose Lindsay. But so did Harold."

"But how did you decide Lindsay would be paired with me?" Harold asked.

"Simple. We made Lindsay decide."

"Partners at the beginning," Lindsay proclaimed, "partners to the end."

"And Fin?" Reef pointed at her.

"He asked all of us 'losers' if any of us wanted to be your partner. Not surprisingly, I was the only one who volunteered."

"Just you? None of the guys, none of the gals?"

"'Fraid not. Looks like you're stuck with me!"

"But not completely," Allen interrupted. "The ballots you filled out last night were non-binding. That means whomever is declared the winner can change the person they take with them to the Opening Ceremonies. And, yes, that person can also be one of the other finalists."

Wyatt smiled upon hearing this. He turned to look at Lo, but she was looking the other way, as Emma was using her hands to try and make her friend look somewhat presentable on camera.

"But these four aren't here to convince you that they should be the person you take. They are here to serve as both coach and cheerleader for you today. I have not told them what's in store for you four finalists... they're just as clueless as you are. But their job is to get you through the final day of competition.

"They'll start by getting you ready to go. Take care of your business, eat breakfast, pack your bags. Dress for the outdoors, and maybe put on an extra layer. Van departs at 6:45. Now... off with ya! Looking at you all makes people think we left you stranded in a jungle for 39 days!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Okay, I know I didn't do well at all in the competition," Emma confessed, "but it's a whole new day! All I have to do today is to get Lo to finish strong! Besides, if I help her win, then Ty will be so impressed that he'll just have to ask me out! I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about our future date together!"

"Gotta go with my man," Jude said, giving a thumbs up to the camera. "He made it this far all by himself, and now I'm gonna help him make that final push. He has to win so he can take me to the Opening Ceremonies! There's some sick dudes and dudettes I wanna meet!"

"Reef's gonna win this," bet Fin. "He's got everyone covered physically. All he's got to do is stop trying to steal glances at Lindsay's gazongas every five minutes and he's got this in the bag. That's why he's got me... so I can keep him focused!"

"Go, go, go... Harold!" Lindsay cheered as she danced in the booth, shaking her gazongas and her pom-poms.

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

At exactly 6:45, the four competitors and their coaches walked out of the building with their bags and headed out to the main street, where two vans were waiting to transport them to the challenge. The street lights were still on as it was still dark, even though the moon had disappeared behind the buildings of the city skyline.

Lo, Harold, Emma, and Lindsay got into the first van, while Wyatt, Jude, Reef, and Fin climbed into the second. Once they and their bags were settled they were off.

Off to Whistler, that is.

* * *

The competitors seemed happy and eager to compete in the final challenge, as day finally arrived and sunlight made the route to Whistler easy to see. But their hearts sunk when they realized where they were when they got out of the vans.

"Oh no!" Lo freaked. "Oh no no no no no no!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Harold stated as he become nauseated.

"I thought we were done with this place!" exclaimed Reef.

"This has to be a dream," Wyatt said, covering his eyes.

Fin and Lindsay also weren't happy, Jude was laughing with insanity, and Emma... didn't seem to see what the big fuss was about.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"The place is called the 'Whistler Sliding Centre,'" quoted Emma. "People love to slide! I don't get why everyone's so afraid!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Emma was speechless as she watched someone do a training run on the course on the big screen. She watched as the individual cameras struggled to keep up as the rider made his way down the course.

Finally, he made it to the finish line, and his time and speed were flashed for all to see.

"Is that accurate?" Reef winced as he saw '150 kph' on the screen.

"**ARE YOU PEOPLE INSANE?**" Emma asked.

"Heh heh," laughed Jude. "Jen said the same thing."

"Welcome, competitors, to the final day of competition!"

They all turned to see Allen walking towards them, with a grin on his face.

"Why are we back here?" questioned Wyatt, panicked. "You said we were doing different events! We already did the luge here... and we all barely survived!"

"True and true. But you aren't here today to do the luge again. You're all here to participate in a different sliding event. The death-defying discipline known... as the Skeleton!"

"Sounds chilling," Reef remarked.

"Yeah," added Lindsay. "Riding skeletons down that thing won't be fun at all!"

"Skeleton differs from the luge in several ways," explained Allen. "They are no brakes built into the sleds used for the event. The only way to slow down on the course is to dig into the ice with spiked shoes, which we will be providing to you for the event. The other major difference is a biggie... instead of riding down the course feet-first, you'll be going head-first!"

"What?" all four competitors shouted.

"Is $250,000 really worth risking our lives?" Harold asked Allen. "Again?"

"Don't worry... you'll be provided adequate safety gear."

"All the safety gear in the world doesn't matter if you can't make it to the finish line!" shouted Lo.

"Point taken... which is why..."

The couple that trained the competitors for the luge competition walked up to the group.

"All competitors are going to be required to take a refresher course on safety and get some quick-fire lessons on how to succeed in skeleton. Once that's done, you'll be given your gear and you can hit the course for practice."

"Well..." Harold commented. "At least we know whomever wins this is walking away with the grand prize."

"Your assumption is wrong, for this is not the final event!"

"What? But yesterday, you said today was the final day of competition!"

"It is, it is. But this isn't the final event! There's a second waiting for you tonight once you've completed this one! And, before you complain, you don't have to worry about fighting to win this one."

"Really?" Reef asked.

"Because the only thing that matters in the skeleton competition is not coming in last place! The person who finishes this event in last place will be eliminated from the competition, therefore withdrawing his or her chance to compete in the finale tonight or win the grand prize!"

"No Elimination Challenge?"

"No Elimination Challenge! You're last, you're gone!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Neither Lo or I made it the whole way down the course the last time we were here," recalled Wyatt. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

_(End Act Two)_

* * *

After taking the required instructional courses, the four competitors started making their way to the top to attempt a couple practice runs. Lo and Emma reached the starting platform just in time to see Harold push off from the starting area.

"**BANZAI!**" he yelled as he rolled himself away.

"I don't think I can do this!" Lo shook in fear.

"Yes, you can!" Emma encouraged her. "Just think of it like you're boogie boarding! You know, surfing except for the fact that you're lying on your stomach the entire time."

"Yeah, but the waves aren't hurtling you towards shore at 90 miles an hour..."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the bottom, Jude watched as Wyatt collapsed on the ground in front of him. Wyatt had attempted to his first run, and of course, he had crashed.

"That tough, dude?"

"It's impossible!" Wyatt threw his hands up, frustrated. "I can't seem to get through that turn, no matter what!"

"You just have to take control!" advised Jude. "Don't let the track dictate what you must do... make it do what you want it to do!"

"Um... I guess I understand..."

Jude helped Wyatt off of the ground, then patted him on the back. Wyatt then started heading back up to the starting line.

"But how does the track move?" Wyatt thought aloud.

* * *

Challenge time had arrived, and the four competitors and their coaches/cheerleaders were up at the top with Allen.

"Okay, are we ready to go?" Allen asked. "Oh, who cares... we're on a tight schedule here."

"Nice to see you care about their lives," chided Fin.

"We do care! You were all required to sign medical waivers before you could even compete on this show, right?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"The challenge works like this!" Allen explained as he cut her off. "Each of the competitors will be given three runs. The good news is that only two will count for this competition, as we will throw out your worst time and combined the remaining two for your overall time. That gives each of you a mulligan in case you want to replace one of your runs... for whatever reason.

"As in the luge competition, anyone who starts a run and does not get to the finish line will be credited with the time of the slowest rider who did complete the course in that round, plus a 30-second penalty. Person who has the worst two-run combined time is eliminated from the competition and will not compete in tonight's final event!"

"So we get one chance to have a do-over," Wyatt pulled out. "Whew... that's good to know..."

"I hope so... because you're up first!"

* * *

Wyatt placed his sled on the ice. Lo, Reef, and Harold watched nervously as he got focused, while the four coaches left, heading back down to cheer on their athletes from the finish line.

"I still can't believe we're doing this," Harold remarked.

"You should be counting your lucky stars," responded Allen. "Skeleton riders are supposed to start all the way at the top of the course! We couldn't get you enough training time to certify you guys to start from there. From here, your speed will probably top off in the low 80's."

Wyatt got the signal to go. He took a deep breath and then started running down the ramp. Once his sled had gotten going, he lied down on it, his helmet just sticking out over the end of the board and only a few inches above the ice track.

Shifting his body weight to guide him, Wyatt proceeded down the course. At first, he was firmly in control. But as he picked up speed, it got tougher for him to keep centered. By the time he got to Turn 12, he couldn't hang on anymore. Upon the left side of his sled hitting the wall on his left exiting the turn, Wyatt's left hand slipped off the handle, and his right quickly followed. He slid off the back, and he glided on the ice on his stomach as his sled continued on without him.

Wyatt pushed himself up off of the ice and onto his feet, getting into a standing position just as track officials arrived to help him off of the track.

At the finish line, the coaches were watching the replay from a monitor across from their seats in the stands. Emma was concerned about Wyatt, but Fin quickly pointed out Wyatt easily getting up. Lindsay shook her head as Jude wondered what had gone wrong.

* * *

Getting used to the skeleton in such a short amount of time proved to be troublesome, as Harold, Reef, and Lo all took shots at their first attempts, and all three also crashed out. Harold had managed to get the farthest, hanging on until losing control in the final banked turn, when he leaned too far inward and ended up tumbling twice down the bank. A bit bruised, Harold managed to walk off the course and to the finish line under his own power.

* * *

The competitors made their way back to the top for the second round, still hoping someone could get all the way to the finish. Unfazed by his first crash, Wyatt was determined to succeed this time. Sadly, the results were the same... crash out coming out of Turn 12.

Harold finally broke through, learning his lesson from the first run, surviving the harrowing Turn 16, coming up the hill, and crossing the finish line in a time of 55.33 seconds. The four coaches applauded as Harold dragged his spiked shoes into the ice to come to a stop.

"Yeah, Harold!" Lindsay cheered loudest of all. "That a way!"

Harold stood up and raised a clenched fist in triumph before bending down to pick up his sled. As he left the area, he ran into Wyatt, who was favoring his wrist as he was got checked out by the medical staff.

"You actually made it?" Wyatt asked, surprised. "Look... you've gotta help me figure it out!"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Harold decided, as he walked over to give Wyatt some pointers.

It would turn out that Reef wouldn't need those same pointers, as he too found a way to get all the way down to the finish line. He had to do it much slower, though, just managing to clear Turn 16 without tipping over or exiting off the racing line, coming in with a time of 57.90 seconds.

"Way to go, Reef!" shouted Emma.

"The goof made it after all," smirked Fin.

Reef got up from his sled and gave the girls a thumbs up before turning to exit the finish area.

"Now I just have to figure out how to get down here faster without crashing," he commented to himself.

"Hopefully Lo can make it too!" wished Emma as her attention turned back to the monitor.

Unfortunately, Emma would be disappointed when minutes later, despite making it past Turn 12 successfully for the first time ever, Lo would lose it exiting Turn 15, hitting the inside wall so hard she was knocked off. She rolled a couple times before coming to a stop, as her sled barreled into Turn 16, went straight up the banking, and eventually flipped over and tumbled back down after going too high.

Emma and Fin held their breath as Lo was slow to get up. The track officials ran over to her as she sat up on the ice, to the girls' relief. She bit her lip as she grabbed her left arm, between her shoulder and her elbow.

* * *

A few minutes later, Lo was sitting off the track at the medical tent, her left sleeve rolled up as one of the doctors was examining a big bruise where she had been holding her arm. Fin and Emma had come over to see how she was.

"That was a nasty crash!" Fin remarked. "You alright?"

"I was so close!" Lo shouted. "One more turn, just one more turn!"

The doctor then interrupted to clear Lo to continue to compete if she wished, and then handed her an ice pack to hold over her bruise. Emma took it and pushed against Lo's bruise.

"You can't be serious about going back up there!" cried Emma. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

"I can't quit now, Emma! I just have to figure out how to get to the end. If only I could just get to that point going a little slower..."

"You can do what Reef did," Fin exclaimed.

"Huh?"

Fin whispered what Reef had done, and upon hearing his strategy, Lo beamed with confidence.

"Of course!" she shouted as she lifted her legs up to show off her spiked shoes. "That's what these are for!"

* * *

It was down to the final run, and Wyatt was facing do-or-die time. He had to figure a way to stay on his sled all the way to the end, or he risked being sent home. He tried to visualize himself getting there, and then he pushed off from the starting line and headed out.

Again speeding down the track, everything went swell until he reached Turn 12. He took the sharp left-hander at near-full speed, and could not hang on as his sled bore quickly towards the inside wall again. Just like his first run, he slid stomach-first on the ice a short distance as he watched his sled continue on without him.

"Not once," Wyatt grumbled as he stood up and looked back at Turn 12, "not even once could I get past you!"

The officials helped walked Wyatt off of the track.

Back at the top, upon hearing Wyatt had failed to get to the finish for the third time, he came to a decision as he picked up his sled from the starting area.

"What are you doing, dude?" Reef asked as he and Lo looked at him.

"The idea is to not come in last, not try to be first," Harold explained. "Why should I risk causing injury to myself? There's still another challenge tonight!"

"Come on, man! It's still a competition!"

Harold shrugged and walked off the starting platform, heading back down the slow way.

"His loss," commented Reef as he placed his sled down onto the ice. "I'm here to compete!"

Lo was beginning to have second thoughts, but she knew she didn't have the benefit of completing a run like Harold or Reef. She had to make a third attempt if she wanted to stick around for the finale.

The next time she looked up, she discovered Reef had already taken the 'go' signal and was on his way down the track. Hoping to achieve a faster time, Reef went back to his strategy from the first run and tried to use his feet to brake as little as possible. That turned out to be a bad decision, as he lost complete control of the sled in the transition between Turns 14 and 15. He let go and his back collided with that outer wall just as the sled entered the second-to-last turn.

Reef was visibly grimacing in pain as he tried to push himself up off the ground. The officials got him to stop, encouraging him to not strain himself in case he had torn or broken something, and a medic came out to check on him.

Everyone, except for Lo, who was still at the top and hadn't been told by the start official nothing more than Reef had crashed, waited with baited breath as the doctor worked on Reef as he sat right on the track, fiddling carefully with his arms and back.

_(End Act Three)_

* * *

Ten minutes had passed, and Reef was still being checked out on the track. But then, finally, he let Reef stand up and walk off, believing he hadn't suffered any serious injuries. Sighs of relief and thankful applause was heard from the other competitors and the cheerleaders as he was led by the doctor to the medical tent to perform a few other checks.

Fin ran out of the stands to see how he was, while Emma stayed behind, crossing her fingers as she saw Lo on the monitor, putting down her sled on the track.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"If it's going to take breaking every bone in my body to win," Lo declared. "Then I'll willingly break every bone in my body!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Lo remembered what Fin had told her, and then she took off, heading out on the course and thinking of nothing but what she wanted her body and her feet to do as she lied down on her sled.

She slowly made her way through the upper half of the course, and after every turn, she tried to drag her feet into the ice for just a second, hoping to slow down her acceleration. She was still in control as she descended into the lower portion. Turn 11, then the tricky 12 passed, and Lo was hanging on. She was going a bit slower than even Reef's run, but still fast enough that it was near impossible to dig her feet into the ground more than a split second.

She didn't dare close her eyes as she escaped 14 and 15, and then into the high-banked right-hander leading to the finish. She gritted her teeth and bared the pain as she gripped her handlebars with all of her strength.

Lo's sled came out of Turn 16, sliding hard right into the inner wall. She bounced off and somehow hung on as she the sled climbed up the small hill and across the finish line. She lowered her feet to slow herself down. Emma hollered with glee as she ran out of the stands and met Lo as she came to a complete stop.

"You did it!" Emma screamed as Lo got up.

"I did? I did!"

Lo wrapped her arms around Emma and the two jumped up and down in celebration. Lo didn't care that her final time was a slow 60.16 seconds. All she cared about was that she made it to the finish... and that was going to be enough to stay in the competition.

* * *

The four competitors and their cheerleaders had gathered by the big screen, where Allen officially announced the results.

"It was a rough competition," Allen told them, "and there were only three successful runs out of twelve! Not a good ratio."

"I'd like to see you try it!" dared Reef.

"Snippy comeback. But who knows, maybe later! Anyway, the good news is that three people made one successful run apiece, so we know who is going on to the final challenge! Unfortunately, one of you never reached the finish line here, so that means you won't be reaching the real finish line tonight. Wyatt?"

Wyatt lowered his head sadly as Jude patted him on the back.

"It's okay, dude. Top four's still pretty good."

"Yeah," Wyatt bucked up. "I guess it is."

Lindsay began to applaud for Wyatt, and soon afterward everyone else joined her. Wyatt smiled at his fellow contenders' admiration.

"I have something I want to say!" announced Wyatt, before looking at Allen to make sure it was okay.

"Okay, but we don't have all day."

Wyatt walked over to Lo and clasped his hands over hers. Lo blushed and Emma gasped in shock as he began to speak.

"Lo, I'm so glad that I've had the chance to work with you this whole competition. And I have to say, you're an incredible person to work with. I hope we get the chance to see each other again someday."

"Well, Wyatt..." giggled Lo, "if you're still up for a date..."

"I think we should just be friends."

Wyatt let go of Lo's hands and started walking away, heading back to the van for the trip to the airport. Lo stood there, stunned, as Emma waved her hand in front of her friend's face, and Jude ran off after Wyatt.

"Hey, dude, wait up!"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I think my luck just ran out today," confessed Wyatt. "If you told me that I'd get the farthest out of the people from my series... farther than Jude, Jen, Jonesy, or even Nikki... I would've thought you were crazy! Just goes to show that I dodged a couple of bullets that were probably meant for me.

"I definitely have to thank Lauren as well. I didn't think much of her when we were forced to pair up together, but she's impressed me these past couple weeks. She was strong enough for the both of us in the competition when she had to be, like in the Biathlon, and I was strong enough for the both of us when he she had to deal with Heather. If I had the chance to do this all over again, she'd definitely be my first choice to be my partner.

"Reef probably will win, but I hope it's Lo. She's doing this for all the right reasons, and I hope win or lose, her father will see that she can doing things on her own and she no longer has to completely rely on others to make sure she's happy. She's a great girl... I'm sure whatever guy is lucky enough to be with her will be a good guy.

"It's just not going to be me. I thought about it, and I realized I'm not quite ready to be in a relationship again."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

"Wow," gasped Allen. "I didn't even get to formally announce his exit. Oh well... Wyatt's gone, which means we've got our final trio! Reef, Harold, and Lo!"

Reef and Harold high-fived each other. They turned to do the same with Lo, but Emma was still trying to snap her out of her stunned nature.

"I've never seen a guy do that before," Fin commented. "Man."

"I see she can barely contain her excitement," chuckled Allen. "You got ten minutes, then the van leaves to head for the final challenge! Don't be late!"

Allen walked off, leaving the six teenagers by themselves.

"That's not how I envisioned their separation," commented Harold.

"I know, right?" added Lindsay. "Just when I was starting to think they were meant for each other, too!"

"Did... did..." Lo finally snapped out of it, regaining consciousness. "Did he just tell me he just wants to be friends?"

"Um," Emma hesitated, not sure how to answer. "I didn't even know you liked him."

"I did," Fin told Emma, "and they were looked as if they were going to hit it off yesterday."

"He... just wants to be friends?"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Ooh!" Lo growled. "Boys are so complicated!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

"Eh, don't worry about him!" Reef tried to cheer Lo up. "He's gone, we're in the final three! Only one more challenge to go!"

"You know what? You're right, Reef! If Wyatt doesn't want me, then so be it! I've got a grand prize to win!"

"That's what I'm talking about. Only I'm the one who's gonna win that grand prize!"

"I think you're both sorely mistaken," corrected Harold. "It will be mine! Mwa ha ha ha!"

Lindsay mindlessly applauded Harold's declaration, while Reef, Lo, Fin, and Emma all just oddly looked at each other.

* * *

With Wyatt and Jude gone, the three remaining competitors and coaches filed themselves and their luggage into one van.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Emma asked as she sat down next to Lo.

"Definitely," Lo replied. "We were never totally serious, so it feels like we just harmlessly flirted. That's all."

"Wyatt didn't seem like he was just flirting," smirked Reef.

Fin elbowed Reef in the gut. "Not helping!"

"It's alright," Lo assured them. "I'm over it. I just have to get focused once again."

Lo took a deep breath... and then winced in pain as she remembered the bruise on her left arm.

"Ow... ow!"

Emma produced the ice pack from earlier and switched seats with Lo so she could directly place it against her bruise.

"So cold! Why does it have to be so cold?"

* * *

The group took a short trip to Cypress Mountain, in particular the Cypress Bowl Ski Area, where their final challenge was going to be held. There Allen waited for them in the stands, along with a young man in his 20s, already in his skis.

"You're all here... good!" Allen greeted. "Well, it's been 16 long days, this being the longest of them all. But the end is finally in sight, guys! You only have to survive one... more... event!"

"Are you sure about that?" Harold asked.

"Positive. Now, instead of telling you what your final challenge is, I'm just going to show you..."

Allen and the man with him stepped aside, and pointed up the hill, where there were three ramps of various heights positioned at the top. Suddenly, they reacted as someone came leaping off the middle one, the highest of them all, and did three back flips in mid-air before coming down and landing on his feet on the slope, with his momentum carrying him down into the bowl, where he turned his skis hard in order to bring himself to a stop.

"That was amazing!" Reef shouted.

"How did he do that?" Lo asked.

"You're going to find out," Allen said to them, "because your final Olympic event is Freestyle Skiing Aerials!"

"We have to duplicate that?" Harold pointed at what had just transpired.

"Nope... unless you really want to. Hopefully, you'll do routines you're comfortable with... and that's where my friend here comes in. Introducing Stan Olerud... professional freestyle skier. He will be your teacher. Thankfully, this shouldn't be too difficult... you've all already been on skis twice, and the tricks performed are similar in form to those you did way back in the figure skating challenge. The key here is figuring out how to put those two together.

"Like figure skating, freestyle skiing aerials is a judged event. Each of your jumps, you'll make three in total, will be scored in the following way. Air, which is 20 percent of your score, Form, which is a whopping 50 percent, and Landings, which is the remaining 30 percent. Your totals there will then be multiplied by the degree of difficulty of your jump, predetermined by the judges prior to each attempt.

"We will drop your lowest score out of your three jumps, and the other two will be combined to give us your final score. This event is winner takes all! That means that whomever wins this event will also be declared the overall winner of 'Fresh from Canada!'"

"Finally!" Harold declared triumphantly.

"Coaches, you will be sitting in on the training session, because you will be instrumental in helping your partners decide what tricks to use in their jumps, which each pair will figure out together. Your decisions factor just as much into who wins tonight as do the jumpers' ability to execute that trick package. Do you play it safe and go with jumps you know that you can land? Or do you go for the most difficult tricks and hope your landings are just good enough? Or somewhere down the middle? What you decide in the next few hours could decide if your life is about to change for the better."

All six nodded, understanding all that was at stake here.

* * *

In training, they all listened as Stan talked about the three types of tricks that could be employed: flips, twists, and turns. He described and demonstrated them as best he could, being on the ground, the proper form of executing them.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Learning all of this is one thing," Harold stated, "but executing it in the middle of a jump with your heart pounding and fear running through you mind that if you don't time it properly, you could land on your head? Yeah, that's another."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

Next, the three competitors had to feel what it was like to go off of the kicker, the name for the curved jump ramp used in this discipline.

"Now, it's called the kicker because when you come off the end of it, you'll literally fell like you've been kicked into the air. The easiest trick to pull off is the back flip, since your body will already be pushing you into that motion. You have to learn to naturally progress through that motion, and doing it so that you do a complete back flip and your skis land flat against the slope when you hit the ground."

"Sounds easy enough," Reef said as he aimed his skis towards the shortest of the three kickers.

The group watched as Reef put on his goggles and then skied down the inrun slope, heading for the smallest kicker. He hit and he immediately felt himself being flipped end over end without his help. As he tried to complete the flip, Reef disappeared over the edge of the hill.

Everyone turned their attention to the nearby big screen, whose camera was trained on Reef as he completed the back flip, landed perfectly level with the slope, and skied his way down into the bowl, where he came to a stop.

"Woo hoo!" Reef rejoiced as he lifted his goggles and unstrapped his helmet. "That was really fun! Man, I can't wait to do it again!"

Up at the top...

"Ooh," Emma squealed. "That looks fun! I'm so jealous of you guys right now!"

"Huh... this might not be as scary as I thought," commented Lo.

Lo slipped on her goggles and raced down to make her first ski jump. She hit the kicker fast and started her back flip. But because she was lighter, her rotation went faster than she thought. She ended up over-rotating, thus when she landed, her skis weren't flat and instead, she was leaning heavily backwards. Too much so that once her skis hit the ground, she fell back, and her backside hit the ground. She felt herself run along the hard, icy ground and she slid to the bottom.

Reef laughed and pointed at her as she rubbed her butt.

"Oh, man... you got seriously worked!"

"Maybe this isn't as fun as I thought it would be."

Reef extended a hand to help pull Lo off of the ground. They then cleared the landing area so Harold could get a try.

"Righteous!" Harold yelled as he came off of the kicker.

Harold attempted his back flip, and he too over-rotated. But only slightly, resulting him being a bit off-balance upon hitting the ground. He bobbled a little before straightening out, and continuing down to the bottom.

"Way to go, man!" Reef came out, congratulating Harold.

"Thanks," Harold replied, shaking hands with Reef.

"You both stuck the landing?" Lo observed. "Man, I've got my work cut out for me."

"Nonsense!" Harold told her. "All that happened was that you rotated faster because you're lighter than either of us. You have to compensate for that in mid-air, because you don't have to work as hard as either Reef or I have to."

"In other words, lean back less?"

"Precisely!"

* * *

Lo followed Harold's advice, and on the second try she succeeded in doing the back flip and coming out so that her skis hit the landing slope almost completely flat.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Lo yelled as she came to a stop at the bottom. "Yeah... I got it!"

* * *

After a little more practice for the trio to try out a single twist in a jump and then a single turn as well, Stan dismissed them so that they could meet with their coaches/cheerleaders and figure out their plan.

First, we look in on Harold and Lindsay...

"So, I was thinking," Lindsay said aloud, "I think it would look great if you could connect a double back flip with a twist or two going on."

"Combination sets are good," Harold told her, "but we have to be careful because it doesn't matter much if I can't hit the landings.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Our plan is try to go heavy on the medium-sized tricks," Harold explained, "which are enough to give the judges that 'wow' factor, and also allow me to have a better chance to come out of them so that I can hit the landings. I heard there's a big difference in scoring between someone who lands perfectly and someone who comes down on their tails. I have to make sure I'm the former every time!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Next are Reef and Fin...

"I say I just hit the ramp hard," motioned Reef, "and then just try to throw in as many tricks as I can!"

"You can't do that," scolded Fin. "The judges have to know what you're attempting so that they can score you properly!"

"So, let's make it so they know. I'll do a flip, a couple twists, a 360, another flip..."

"You really gonna be able to pull all of that off in two or three seconds, really?"

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I've seen these competitions on TV," Reef shouted, "and judges respond really well the longer you hang in the air, because that gives you more time to do tricks! I think if I can figure out how to tear it up and give those judges a show they'll never forget, I'll win this thing without breaking a sweat!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Finally, a peek in on Lo and Emma's planning session.

"I dunno," Emma questioned after hearing Lo's plan, "I think you should throw a couple of twists in there."

"But I'm not quite sure if I can learn how to do both at the same time in such a short time," a worried Lo stated.

"You can't afford to be conservative," warned Emma. "You know Reef's gonna bring it and throw doubles and triples. Harold too, probably."

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Emma's kinda right," Lo stated, "but all the tricks in the world don't matter if you don't look good or you don't stick the landing! My strategy is to emphasize form. I heard the judges take points off if your legs come apart at any point in mid-air, or your arms aren't in the right place. I have to quickly figure out what I can do, and do well. Maybe it's not good to rely on the boys putting too much on their plate and screwing it up somehow, but I think the only way I'm gonna win is to finesse it... and get a little help from Lady Luck."

======= [End Confessionals] ======

_(End Act Four) / (End Part One)_


	13. Episode Ten, Part 2

"Fresh from Canada"  
Episode Ten (Part Two)  
Story Written by Freedom Fighter

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of Fresh TV, Inc. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games and all mentioned licensed characters, places, and other related material are the property of the International Olympic Committee. Oh, and this fanfic is not officially endorsed by either the IOC, Fresh TV, or anyone else involved with the Olympics.

* * *

Norman Bouchard Memorial Theatre  
(Originally taped on Wednesday, July 28, 2010)

An audience could be heard applauding from inside the small theater, as the cameras zoom in towards the stage. On it, a small set of risers had been placed, and on it were chairs. Nineteen of them, to be exact, in rows of seven, six, and six, from top to bottom. Sixteen of the seats were filled by all of the contestants, with the exception of the final three competitors, who weren't present, and Bridgette, who was standing on the other side of the stage with Geoff.

"Good evening, everyone!" Geoff greeted the audience. "I'm Geoff!"

"And I'm Bridgette!" the surfer introduced herself. "And we're coming to you from the Norman Bouchard Memorial Theatre, located inside the student union building on the campus of the University of British Columbia!"

"Before you fiddle with your Internet browser, don't worry! We're going to take you back to the finale of 'Fresh from Canada' in just a minute!"

"We're just here to tell you to stay here immediately afterward, because Geoff and I here to host the 'Fresh from Canada Closing Ceremonies' special!"

"We'll be talking to our big winner, and we'll also be showing you where he or she was seen at the Vancouver Winter Olympics!"

"There's also so many questions we just have to ask about what happened here in Vancouver back in January! And we're gonna ask them!"

* * *

In a 'green' room set up somewhere else in the building, Reef, Lo, and Harold wave at the camera there as they are shown watching Geoff and Bridgette on the television via closed-circuit.

"And there's a look at the Final Three!" Geoff exclaimed.

"They'll be joining the rest of us on stage when the winner is revealed!"

"But," Bridgette admitted, "it's kind of a moot point. Since... well, you know."

"What? What are you talking about, Bridge?"

"We all actually know who the winner is. The show **WAS** taped back in January."

"You all know?"

Geoff looked at the others on the stage, and they all nodded.

"How do I not know? I'm your co-host, babe!"

Bridgette giggled. "Because you weren't there like we all were to see the final event in person!"

"Wait... so you'll spoil that, but you won't spoil the winner?"

"Nope."

"That's mean, Bridgette!"

"Anyway," she ignored him, "time to get back to the show! The final event is about begin! Let's see who comes out on top!"

"You're really not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope... you'll have to watch and see, just like the rest of the world."

"Then let's get that film rolling already!"

The audience applauded as the camera zoomed in on the screen that was set up on-stage to show the finale.

* * *

Cypress Bowl Ski Area

At the site of the Freestyle Skiing Aerials, night had fallen. The artificial lights overlooking the entire section of Cypress Mountain, from the starting area to the kickers to the spectator stands at the bottom, were turned on, basking it in a warm, white light. It was definitely needed as the temperatures were in the mid-to-high 30s and falling.

Dozens and dozens of members of the resort staff were rushing to finish preparations, making artificial snow and spreading it all around, especially in the landing area, hoping to make sure the event could go through despite the warm conditions the last few days.

Having gotten something to eat and given a short amount of time to rest, the three finalists were now ready to take on the hill.

They started walking towards the area, and they had serious looks on their faces as they were now mentally preparing. Along side each of them was their assigned coach/cheerleader, who now was trying to keep them focused as their moment of destiny awaited.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"This is it," Reef rubbed his hands in anticipation. "Two long weeks, and it's going to come down to three jumps."

"There's definitely pressure," stated Harold, "but those who would be champions rise above it."

"I'm going to win," declared Lo, "and I'm gonna make Daddy proud!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

Allen was standing near the spectator seats, and he greeted them as they stopped before them.

"Good evening," welcomed Allen. "Who's ready to win a quarter of a million dollars?"

"I am!" Reef, Harold, and Lo said in unison.

"Great to hear. Time to draw straws to determine jumping order... literally!"

Allen held out his clenched left hand, which had three straws sticking out of it.

"Ladies first," beckoned Harold.

* * *

Seconds later, Harold is shown holding a three-inch straw, Lo one that is six-inches, and Reef had possession of a foot-long.

"Shortest to longest, folks!" Allen told them. "Harold goes first!"

The three nodded, and started to head for the ski lifts with their coaches.

"Hold on," Allen called out, "I've got one last surprise for you all."

They all turned around, frightened at what that meant given the last 24 hours.

"That surprise better not be us having to jump blindfolded!" Harold threatened.

"Hey!" Allen took offense. "The events may be death-defying, but your risks of injury will always still be less than those the real Olympic athletes face! Besides... I have a feeling you'll like this one!"

He turned around and yelled into the stands.

"Come on out, everyone!"

They watched as the other 14 eliminated competitors came out from the spectator bowl. The finalists and their coaches breathed a sigh of relief and smiles formed on their faces as they saw all their friends again, some for the first time in two weeks. Wyatt was among the last to appear, who was trying to blend into the group.

Lo was about to walk over to talk to him after his hasty exit just hours ago. In what tone of voice, no one will ever know, because Allen jumped in to shoo the finalists away.

"Now that you have an audience to cheer for you... let's get this event started!"

* * *

Minutes later, the finalists were up at the top of the hill, along with their coaches.

"Go for it!" Lindsay yelled at Harold. "You can do it!"

Harold nodded as he walked over towards the starting point for the second-highest kicker. Once he was given the signal to go, Harold was off immediately. He came down the hill and hit the ramp. Once launched into the air, he performed a back flip with a spinning twist, albeit a little sideways, which led into a second back flip.

He straightened out for his landing less than a heartbeat from his skis touching down. He wobbled a little bit, arms flailing briefly, before getting his balance and safely arriving at the bottom. He came to a stop, and the audience cheered and applauded for him.

[Harold, Run 1  
Attempted Jump - Double Back Flip w/ Single Twist  
Run 1 Score: 73.22]

Back at the top, Lo was grumbling as she got into position. Seeing this, Emma quickly ran over to get her focused.

"Lo, will you stop fussing about him?"

"Don't you think I'm trying not to!" Lo shouted back.

"Just take a deep breath and clear your mind," Emma suggested.

Lo did as she was told... and a few seconds later, she was smiling.

"That actually worked! Thanks, Emma!"

Emma ran back up to the starting area with the others, while Lo started her run down to the lowest ramp. Her first jump was to be a single back flip with a twist, and she performed it nearly flawlessly, keeping her arms at her sides and her feet together. She glanced down at the hastily approaching ground and made her landing. Again, almost perfect, save for her head and shoulders leaning a few inches forward.

Once stopped at the bottom, she scanned the bleachers for Wyatt, who was trying to hide behind Jonesy and Jude. Not well enough, as she could see his hair sticking out between their heads.

Regardless, Lo kept her composure, and turned to the scoreboard to wait for her score.

[Lo, Run 1  
Attempted Jump - Single Back Flip w/ Single Twist  
Run 1 Score: 55.80]

Lo was a little surprised by the score, and she glanced up towards the judges' stand overlooking the ramps. She couldn't see the reaction, but they saw hers, as her gesture was caught on camera.

"I don't get it," Nikki said aloud. "Her jump all around looked better than Harold's."

"She probably got a better base score," Jen explained, "but her jump was easier than his. They add up the judges' scores and then multiply them by the degree of difficulty."

"Well, if Wyatt wants his girl to win, she better start jumping off of the taller ramps with the big boys!"

"She's not my girl!" Wyatt exclaimed, popping out from behind the guys.

"Sure... you just keep telling yourself that, not-Romeo!"

As Lo departed to head back up, Reef was rubbing his hands in anticipation as he skied off from the gate. He was heading for the second-highest ramp, and he was determined to hit his first jump right as he launched up into the air. He was trying to one-up Harold by going double back flip, double twist.

He pulled off the first flip-twist combination pretty well, and did likewise on the second. He seemed to be holding his form fair enough as he landed, but he wobbled upon touchdown. Still, he was happy with himself as skied to the bottom, shouting with exuberance as he came to a stop.

"Oh yeah, that's the stuff!"

The judges apparently were happy with the trick, too.

[Reef, Run 1  
Attempted Jump - Double Back Flip w/ Double Twist  
Run 1 Score: 82.77]

* * *

After a short break to allow the competitors to get back to the top and for the resort staff to check the take-off and landing area to see if any snow had to be added, the second round of jumps was set to start.

Harold was ready to up the ante, as Lindsay and the others observed as he headed for the middle kicker, the highest ramp of them all. Once airborne, he did two back flips while twisting through both, and then he tried to squeeze in a 360-degree turn on the back end. He kept much better form throughout the entire jump, but his landing once again left a lot to be desired, as he hit the ground leaning very far forward. He only managed to keep from falling on his face as he swung his arms backward in a windmill motion to help him get his balance.

Harold came to a stop and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He knew he might have lucked out on that one.

"Great jump, Harold!" Bridgette yelled.

"You nailed that one!" shouted Tyler.

They thought his jump was great, but would the judges agree? Harold got his answer a minute later... and he raised his arms in both triumph and disbelief. It was a huge score.

[Harold, Run 2  
Attempted Jump - Double Back Flip w/ Double Twist Plus 360 Turn  
Run 2 Score: 104.05  
Total Score: 73.22 + 104.05 = 177.27]

Lo and Reef saw the score on the huge video monitor near the starting area, and realized that Harold had thrown down the gauntlet. They were going to have to step it up if they were going to win.

Lo was already lined-up for the second-highest ramp, but suddenly she decided to move over to go after the highest one. As she did, Emma came over to make a suggestion.

"You've got to go trip-back, at least," Emma said to her.

"But I never even attempted a trip in practice!"

Lo relented after a few back-and-forth moments between the two girls, and Emma ran over to the official to tell him of Lo's revised jump.

"Lo's definitely in trouble unless she pushes it," observed Reef.

"Emma was right," Fin said back. "She was way too conservative on the first jump. She doesn't have a choice now but to go big."

Once the judges had been made aware of the change, Lo was given the signal to proceed. After a few tense moments to gather her composure, she took off down the slope.

Once she came off the ramp, she went into her modified routine. She did one back flip, combining with a twist, then another. She was about to start her third when she panicked a little, noticing the ground coming up fast, and tried to abort. But her momentum had already carried her past the perfect landing angle.

She hit the slope hands- and back-first and slid all the way to the bottom that way. Hitting the bottom, her back's friction with the ground eventually brought her body to a stop.

"That... wasn't pretty..." winced Gwen.

"Serves her right," remarked Heather, who was sitting behind her.

Lo managed to sit up and reached up to take off her goggles, but she was grimacing in pain as she did so; her back had taken a hard hit.

Everyone looked on with worry, particularly Wyatt, as the medical staff came out to check on Lo.

"Poor girl," commented Jen. "I hope she's okay."

"She must've been distracted by me," Wyatt deduce, albeit incorrectly, "oh man... now she'll probably blame me for her not winning!"

Up at the top, Reef gulped nervously after seeing Lo's bad landing. He and Fin watched uncomfortably after a video replay of the jump was shown on the big screen. Emma was no longer with them, as she had left to head down to check on Lo's condition personally.

To their relief, once the replay had ended, the cameraman at the bottom showed the medics deciding it was okay to get her up. They each grabbed an arm and carefully pulled Lo to her feet. She still felt a lot of stabbing pain in her back, but she did her best to keep a smile on her face, visible because the medics had taken her helmet off during the brief check-up, as the guys and gals in the stands applauded her being well enough to walk away from the crash, albeit gingerly.

"You sure you still wanna do this?" Fin asked Reef back at the top. "Your second jump's as difficult as the one she just tried to do, and your third's even tougher!"

"I got to practice mine!" Reef said in response. "I can pull this off. Though... it is nice to see you care about me."

"What? No! I'm just trying to make sure you win this thing so you can back up that inflated ego of yours!"

Reef then skied into position in the lane for the highest ramp, as the score for Lo's second jump came up... not that it mattered.

[Lo, Run 2  
Attempted Jump - Triple Back Flip w/ Triple Twist  
Run 2 Score: 72.74  
Total Score: 55.80 + 72.74 = 128.54]

Taking a deep breath, Reef hoped he could put up a good score on the board to challenge Harold. He leaned forward, attempting to get as close to top speed as possible as he flew off the end of the ramp. He was starting off with a 360-degree turn as he hit his peak height, which led into the double back flip, double twist combination he did on his first jump. He succeeded in getting all the way around, but his feet were coming apart as he landed on the hard slope below. He bobbled, and it looked as if he had control...

But then he leaned a bit too far left, attempting to complete the correction, and he fell over, sliding about 20 feet down the remainder of the slope on his left arm.

Once he came to a stop, he was shaking his head as he turned over so he was now flat on his back. He took off his goggles and helmet and spent a few seconds just to sit up and look back at the slope. He stayed there for quite awhile, long enough that one of the medics ran out to him, wondering if he had hurt himself.

The medic knelt beside Reef, and the two chatted briefly before the guy got up and took a few steps back. Reef stood up soon after, and he dusted the fake snow off of his left side as he glanced up at the scoreboard.

It would take a couple minutes before the judges could render their decision.

[Reef, Run 2  
Attempted Jump - 360 Turn Plus Double Back Flip w/ Double Twist  
Run 2 Score: 88.93  
Total Score: 82.77 + 88.93 = 171.70]

Reef realized the fall had cost him... he was now behind Harold by more than five-and-a-half points.

* * *

As the ski bowl area was being prepared for the final round, a quick run to the medical tent showed that the medics were still examining Lo, and a number of groans and whelps could be heard at random intervals.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"This can't be happening!" Lo exclaimed. "I so wanna go back out there and finish, even if I have no chance of winning. But my body just refuses to cooperate!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

"I'm my duty to announce," Allen stated over the loudspeaker, "that as of this moment, the medical staff will not clear Lo to participate in the final jump of the competition."

Murmuring could be heard by the spectator gallery, but naturally, Wyatt was the most upset of all, as he jumped out of his seat and ran off, in the direction of the medical tent, as fast as he could.

"She has sustained no major injuries, but as a precaution, the doctors have decided to not clear her to compete. Therefore... our two-week competition has come down to Harold and Reef. Have at it, guys!"

* * *

Harold, Reef, Lindsay, and Fin were chatting at the starting gate over the news regarding Lo's condition.

"I guess it's just you and me," Reef said to Harold.

"Guess so," Harold said, sticking his hand out. "May the best jumper win!"

The two boys shook hands, in a sportsmanlike gesture.

"Too bad," Lindsay said aloud. "I was kinda hoping she'd win one for us girls."

"True," Fin partially agreed, "but I think she'll be content with finishing third. Don't think anyone expected that."

A minute later, the signal was given for the final round to begin. Again, Harold was to go first. Reef, Lindsay, and Fin went back up the hill to clear the way for Harold, who began to psych himself up for his last jump.

Once he was in his 'zone,' he began his descent to the ramp. Heading for the biggest kicker, he took off high into the air. All eyes were on Harold as he immediately learned back to flip over, twisting in the air as he did. Then he did a second combination flip-twist... and then a third. His form looked perfect as he came down for the landing.

He hit the ground okay, but he was leaning backwards on impact. He fell off his skis, and his butt hit the ground. But somehow he bounced back up before his skis were completely off the ground, and he skied the rest of down upright.

He clapped his hands once, signifying his displeasure as he came to a stop. He bent down to take off his skis, and then he bowed to the crowd, as everyone applauded his great effort.

"Almost had it," he said aloud, before turning to the camera. "I think it was the same jump Lo did."

It indeed was. But how would the judges score it?

"Nice landing, doofus!" Duncan exclaimed as he walked down from the stands to 'congratulate' Harold.

"Like you could've done any better!" shouted Harold.

"Ignore him, Harold," Courtney stated, walking up behind Duncan. "He has no right to talk after not making it past Day One here!"

Duncan opened a mouth to retort to that, but he couldn't think of one. Or maybe he didn't dare think of one?

"Harold's score is in," Allen announced over the loudspeaker, "but I'm gonna withhold it until after we get Reef's. Makes for more tension, don't ya think?"

Up at the top, Fin was giving Reef a few last words of advice.

"You can win this!" she told him. "But the landing has to be perfect! You don't have room for error!"

"That trophy's as good as mine!" Reef declared with confidence.

As Reef skied away from her, Fin clasped her hands together, as if she were praying for him to succeed. Reef stopped at the starting line for the biggest of the three ramps, pulled his goggles down over his eyes, and all that was left was to wait for the biggest moment of his life to arrive.

Seconds later, Reef got the 'go' signal, and he started down the hill.

"I believe in you!" Fin called out. "Hit this, you insane kook!"

Reef leaned forward as he picked up speed. Before he knew it, he flew off the edge of the final ramp and into the air, and all eyes were on him as he went for the biggest stunt of all.

"A million dollars says he lands face-first in the snow!" Duncan betted.

"You're on!" Harold agreed, before taking a step back. "Wait a minute... didn't you spend it all already?"

"It's her fault," replied Duncan, who pointed to a displeased Courtney.

Reef did two twisting back flips in mid-air, then he went for a 540-degree turn! That meant that he would be landing looking up the slope, and everyone gasped in shock when they realized that was what he had planned. All he had to do was stick the landing...

His skis hit the slope almost flat. Reef landed leaning forward into the slope, looking for balance. But his left hand hit the ground as well, meaning he was a bit too far forward. Still, he quickly pushed off the ground and skied the rest of the way to the bowl standing straight up.

The crowd went wild as Reef came to a stop. Although not perfect, they were in jubilant disbelief that he had actually pulled off a backwards landing! Reef got a standing ovation as he reached down to unlatch his feet from his skis. Harold walked over and just had to give him a high-five just for attempting such a jump.

"How did you pull that off?" Harold asked.

"I'm still wondering myself," Reef chuckled, as he looked up at the video screen.

He and Harold watched the replay, and saw how close Reef had come to falling on the landing. If he had not stayed up, Harold would've won for sure. But now... it was all on the judges.

As they waited, everyone else came down from the stands to congratulate both Harold and Reef for putting on a good show for them on this mild winter's night. Eventually, they were joined by Lo, who walked out to the bowl with Emma and Wyatt on either side of her. Harold and Reef both came over to give her a hug for her efforts, though a gentle one, as she was still in some pain.

The three of them then stood next to each other, and the rest of the gang stood off to the side as Allen finally appeared, with a huge golden trophy. It was half of a lemon that was atop a Roman-style pedestal about 14-inches tall, and the lemon itself had engraved in it, on the open face, the Fresh TV logo and the five Olympic rings.

"After 16 days, ladies and gentlemen," Allen exclaimed, "let me just say that you three finalists have done the unthinkable. Compete in ten different Winter Olympic disciplines, and do it better than anyone could've reasonably expected given the unideal weather conditions and torrid things that such participation has done to your bodies. Guys, let's give our three finalists one last round of applause."

The others obliged, proud of what they have done.

"The judges have made their decision!" exclaimed Allen. "The winner of 'Fresh from Canada'... is..."

Reef and Harold both leaned forward.

"...by the final score of 196.83 to 191.18... is..."

Everyone held their breath, as they waited for Allen to say his name...

"Reef!"

"Woo hoo!" Reef yelled, raising his arms in jubilation. "I can't believe it... I actually did it!"

Lo wrapped her arms around Reef to give him a hug, while Harold gave him another congratulatory high-five. As they separated from him, Reef was mobbed by the rest of the group, who wanted to offer their accolades. Most upfront of them all was Fin, who jumped up and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. He swung her around in delight as he grabbed her by the hips.

"I did it, Fin! I did it!"

"You pulled it off!" Fin shouted. "Nice going, you!"

Reef stopped spinning and he leaned forward slightly so that Fin's feet were back on the ground before she pulled her hands apart. She then stepped aside as the others came in.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"Reef is a men amongst men!" Harold declared. "To have the balls to attempt a backwards landing... he completely deserves to be the winner. I'd tip my hat to him... if I had a hat, that is."

"I didn't get to see the jump live," stated Lo, "but after seeing the replay, the judges were so right in giving him the win. Great job, Reef! I'm sure Fin's proud of you, as are the rest of us."

"I knew I could win this competition if I just put my mind to it," admitted Reef. "There were a lot of great competitors, and I managed to outlast them all. How about that?"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

After everyone had congratulated Reef, Allen finally came over to officially hand the trophy to him.

"There you go!"

Reef smiled as held the trophy high above his head, and the others gave him a round of applause. He then put the trophy down on the ground as he spotted two men in black suits coming forward, and one of them was holding the briefcase Allen had shown to the Final Four yesterday. They stopped next to Allen and opened the briefcase.

"As promised, as the winner of 'Fresh from Canada,' you receive a quarter of a million dollars! You also are going to get VIP tickets to any three event finals here at the Olympic Games next month! You also get the honor of representing Fresh TV, Incorporated, the studio behind 'Total Drama Island,' 'Total Drama Action,' '6teen,' and 'Stoked,' at the Winter Olympics."

Everyone cheered as the suitcase was closed and handed to Reef, who took it and rubbed his face against it.

"One last thing, Reef... part of the package of representing the company at the 2010 Winter Olympics is that you get the chance to attend the Opening Ceremonies, which will be held at BC Place Stadium. As an added perk, you get to bring one of your fellow competitors to that once-in-a-lifetime experience."

A few curious eyes turned Reef's way, wondering whom he would pick.

"When you voted last night for your choice, you said you wanted to take Lindsay. It's been roughly 24 hours or so since then... will you stick to your guns and take her, or do you have someone else in mind?"

"Allen," Reef stated, "there's only one person I'd dream of bringing with me..."

He then turned to his selection, and she happened to be standing right next to him.

"It's gotta be you... Fin!"

"Really?" Fin gasped, half-shocked. "You really want to take me?"

"It's your motivation that got me the win today! It's gotta be you!"

Everyone cheered as Fin wrapped her arms around Reef's body this time, and he did the same in response.

====== [Confessional Booth] ======

"I still can't believe it," Reef slapped himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming, "but I have to! I've won! I've really won! And I'm going to the Olympic Games! This is the best day of my life!"

======= [End Confessionals] ======

* * *

A short time later, all 20 competitors were gathered in the spectator seats for one final farewell to Vancouver. They all piled in behind the three finalists, who sat in the front row. Reef, of course, was in the center, cradling his trophy in his right hand and holding up his briefcase full of cash in the other. Lo sat to his right, while Harold was to his left.

The others piled in behind them, with Fin most noticeably sitting down right behind Reef, smiling as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

Once they were all in position, they said their final farewell.

"On behalf of Fresh TV and the city of Vancouver," they said in unison, "thanks for watching us! And... **GO TEAM CANADA! WOOOOO!**"

They all waved goodbye as the camera pulled away, and the cast got smaller as the camera was hoisted into the air and pulled away from Cypress Mountain aboard a helicopter.

* * *

The said helicopter flew over BC Place Stadium, where the Opening Ceremonies were going to be held...

* * *

And then a shot of the Olympic torch burning brightly through the night, apparently taken in February during the games themselves...

* * *

Norman Bouchard Memorial Theatre  
(Originally taped on Wednesday, July 28, 2010)

Said shot was being show on the screen as the audience in the theatre cheered and the lights came up on the stage. Everyone turned their heads back towards the entrance, and the cheers and yells got louder as Lo and Harold both entered, the former blowing kisses and the latter waving.

The other competitors were standing up on stage, applauding loudest of all as the two runner-ups made their way down the aisle and up onto the stage. Both of them looked much better physically than they did at the end of the competition, particularly Lo, who was walking around like normal.

As Harold and Lo took their places in front of their seats on stage, the place erupted as everyone looked back again. Reef entered the theatre, holding up his winner's trophy for all to see. There were a few boos, but they were easily drowned out by all of the cheers as Reef came down the aisle. He high-fived every guy he could, and winked at every cute girl he saw.

After a couple minutes, he finally got to the stage steps. He handed his trophy off to a stage hand for safekeeping, then proceeded to the riser where the other competitors offered high-fives and hugs to him.

As the cheers continued, the camera panned to the back corner of the room, where Geoff and Bridgette were standing with microphones in hand.

"And so Reef is the winner of 'Fresh from Canada!'" Bridgette declared.

"We'll have reactions from him, and the rest of the cast in moments!" Geoff exclaimed. "All in the 'Fresh from Canada Closing Ceremonies' special, coming up next! Stay tuned, folks!"

_(End Act Five)_

* * *

After a brief intermission, the audience was signaled to applaud as the cameras came back on-line and turned their focus onto the stage. On the left side were 19 of the show's competitors, sitting in three rows. In the bottom row, from right to left, were Reef, Harold, Lo, Wyatt, Lindsay, and Heather. In the middle row, from left to right, sat Jude, Fin, Jen, Cody, Gwen, and Trent. In the top row, positioned right to left, were Jonesy, Courtney, Emma, Tyler, Nikki, Duncan, and Johnny.

Where was the 20th competitor, Bridgette? She was sitting on a stool at about center stage, next to her boyfriend, Geoff, and they together were hosting the show.

"Good evening, Vancouver and everyone else in the world!" greeted Geoff.

The audience became silent as the hosts began the show.

"Welcome to the 'Fresh from Canada Closing Ceremonies' special, hosted by me and Geoff! We're here at the Norman Bouchard Memorial Theatre on the campus of UBC!"

"We're here with the entire cast to take a look back at the competition, and maybe get some behind-the-scenes scoops about what you didn't see on camera!"

"We don't have much time, so let's get right to it. First off, Reef, I can now say this for the first time in public... congratulations on winning 'Fresh from Canada!'"

"Thanks!"

"What's life been like since the end of the show?"

"Unreal. Completely unreal. I think the toughest part was trying to keep it all a secret for so long. I mean, the show was supposed to air, from what I was told, during the two weeks leading up to the actual start of the Olympics. And then, for whatever reason, the show got pulled after three episodes and then up and disappeared for a couple months.

"Holy moley!" remarked Geoff.

"A lot of my friends got curious after I quote unquote 'disappeared' a couple days before the Opening Ceremonies and stayed gone for, I think it was a week and a half. After I got back, they all bombarded me with questions. Because they had seen those first few episodes, they were starting to suspect that I had won because I was gone for so long again... especially just a couple of weeks after being back from the show's taping."

"Uh huh," nodded Geoff.

"It didn't take long before they found out their suspicions were right, and I had to end up calling the producers to come down and have them sign those forms that they had to sign, agreeing that they wouldn't go public with the fact, because the show was going to be coming back on the air and they didn't want it ruined by viewers already knowing what the outcome was."

"How many people do you think figured it out on their own, in your hometown?" asked Bridgette.

"Probably seven, maybe eight people. And then I had to tell my family, because they'd be curious to know where the heck I got a quarter of a million dollars from out of the blue."

The audience laughed.

"I didn't steal it, Mom and Dad, I swear!"

More laughter and a few chuckles followed.

"The six month wait was killer, though. They should've made me sign several of those secrecy things, because you don't KNOW how many times I wanted to come out and say I won this thing. I would've love to have gloated in a couple people's faces. And now I finally can, thank God!"

Another round of laughter and cheers filled the air.

"Take us through that final day of competition," Geoff said to him. "The early wake-up, the high-speed Skeleton challenge, and the Aerials finale..."

"Whoa... let me preface this by saying that if I hadn't been declared the winner that night, I would've spent the night sleeping on the mountain. Because my body was aching so much, I had literally pushed myself close to my limit. To be hurting that much and not come away with the trophy... that would've made all of that pain not worth it. I mean, we went through so much in two weeks, and then it ended when we had a new challenge day after day after day, with no breaks."

The three finalists, plus Wyatt and even Lindsay and Heather, nodded in agreement.

"And then the final day, dragged out of bed at... what was it, I think five o'clock, and then have to survive a 16, 17-hour day that included barreling down a slide at 90 miles an hour and then having to twist and turn your body in mid-air and hope that your feet are the first thing that touch the ground. How I, or Harold, or Lo still had the energy to still stand at the end of the day... I don't know."

"Talk about the final jump," goaded Bridgette, "and Harold, you can jump in on this too, but what was going through your mind when you were in the air and when you came down, backwards?"

"I was thinking," Reef replied, "that if I don't nail this jump, this landing... Harold beats me. And again... that would have been so disappointing, for me to have worn my body out to come up with nothing. So I was ignoring all the pain and pushing my body to keep turning, keep rotating. And then, on the landing... keep your feet grounded, keep your feet grounded. And I just barely managed to do it."

"I can't speak for the judges," Harold added, "but just for attempting something like that... even if Reef had fallen, I probably still would have given him the win. None of us were any sort of good or experienced at ski jumping. I'm actually amazed at the scores Reef and I got... 'cause I would've scored us a whole lot lower."

"Just for those curious at home," Bridgette said, holding up a small piece of paper, "Reef's final jump was given a score of 107.90. Not bad, from what I hear. If you would've hit the landing, it would've been something really special."

"Speaking of landings," Geoff cut in, "Harold, dude... what was up with yours? Bobbles on all three, including a landing on your butt on the final jump. Hit any one of your three landings perfectly, and we might be celebrating you winning the competition."

"Precisely," Harold nodded in agreement, "I had structured my jumps based on what the judges wanted to see and if I could pull it off. And I think did well. The problem was, as you said, the landings. My legs just wouldn't cooperate with me. Maybe it was all of the exhaustion and my extremities had just decided that they'd had enough."

"If your body is at full strength, do you win that final challenge?"

Harold looked at Reef and then back at Geoff.

"I'd like to say yes, but then Reef here probably would've pulled out something even more incredible than that backward landing."

"What could get more incredible than that?"

Harold shrugged his shoulders.

"But there was one more person in the finale," Bridgette reminded them, "and that was Lo."

"Hi, Bridge!" Lo waved hello.

"I know it's been a long time since that day, but my first question has to be... are you okay? That was a nasty spill you took!"

Lo nodded. "Yeah. It was pretty bad. Like the guys said, we were all pretty much running on empty. To be fair, I wasn't just trying to go easy initially just because I was hoping the guys would take some pretty big spills and the trophy would just fall into my lap... but I was also hurting so bad from the crash in the Skeleton earlier. I was trying to only do what my body would allow me to do. But then I had that crash on my second jump... and in addition to my back, I had also tried to brace my fall with my arm."

"So basically two injuries in one day?"

"Pretty much. I'm actually glad my body told me 'no more,' because I definitely would've tried to go back up to the top to try and finish the challenge. Probably would've risked hurting myself more."

"Now, this wasn't shown on TV, but immediately after Reef was given the trophy, you had to be taken to the hospital. What happened?"

"At first, it was a precautionary measure, as the doctors didn't think I had broken anything. But it's a good thing I went, because on the way there, my left arm started swelling up. It turns out that there was a small crack in my humerus bone. I had to have surgery, as I had a few torn ligaments and tissue right around the crack."

Some of the other cast members gasped, as did a good portion of the audience, as they had not about it until now.

"Yeah, I was in a cast for about a month," she said at she looked up at some of them, "it was to make sure my arm healed properly."

"You must be glad it wasn't any more serious than that," Geoff said to her.

"Definitely."

"And your arm now?"

"Good as new!"

The audience applauded her successful recovery.

"Then you don't mind me asking this..." Geoff said with a smirk, "you and Wyatt? On or off?"

"Off. Most def off."

Wyatt nodded in agreement.

"Really? Because... a lot of the footage we saw says otherwise! Especially the last couple days! You two aren't gonna blame tiredness for your flirtations are you?"

"Flirtations?" Lo huffed, pointing at Wyatt. "Wyatt was the one doing all the flirting!"

"It's kinda hard to call it flirting when you didn't flirt back," Wyatt shot back.

"But didn't you initiate all of the conversations between the two of you?" Geoff asked.

"That didn't start until after Lo came back from the hospital after the Luge challenge. And at the time, she was kinda up on those painkillers."

"Okay. But still, even though she apologized for her actions, you saw it as a sign that she liked you. So you started to push, trying to see if that was true, and also if you felt the same way."

"Well, yeah... but I was trying to be careful. You know, I've already been in several failed relationships, and I wanted to make sure of our feelings before I truly embraced us as a couple."

"It's true," Jen spoke up. "Wyatt's been through a lot."

"Thanks a lot," Wyatt sarcastically replied.

"Personally," Bridgette stuck her nose in, "the part about the whole thing you two as a couple that's most confusing? The end of it. Wyatt, Lo was about to reciprocate her feelings to you, and you basically told her it wasn't going to work out, and walked off."

Murmurs and a few shouts of 'Yeah!' were heard from the crowd.

"What happened?"

Wyatt sighed. "Like I said in the confessional booth afterward, I just felt that I wasn't ready to be in a relationship again just yet. Just too many issues I had to deal with internally before I could open up to a girl again."

"Lo," Geoff looked at her, "do you buy that?"

"I absolutely do. I didn't at first, but after we had a couple of chats, I understood where he was coming from."

"The only thing Lauren still doesn't understand," Wyatt said with a smile, "was what signs she was giving off that she liked me."

The audience laughed.

"I recorded the last three or four episodes and have watched them over and over again," admitted Lo. "You guys tell me, because other than right after the first hospital trip and at the end... I didn't see anything in-between those two moments that I saw as a sign that I liked Wyatt."

"Signs or no signs," Bridgette prefaced, "we know that Wyatt and Lo were sharing signs of a different kind... in their alliance with Harold and Lindsay!"

"How did arguably four of the weakest players in the game turn it so upside down that they had a legitimate chance to win at the end?" Geoff asked aloud.

"I question your meaning of 'weakest,'" objected Harold.

"And what about Cody and Jen?" questioned Bridgette. "What about the drama between them?"

"We'll answer those questions, and whatever else we can fit in, next!" Geoff shouted. "But first, these messages..."

_(End Act Six)_

* * *

(Intermission 1)

* * *

Audience applauds and cheers as the show resumes.

"One of the biggest surprises in this game revolves around the performance of the Blue Team," Geoff stated. "Despite how well both Harold and Lindsay did in both seasons of 'Total Drama,' most of the competitors pegged the two of you as weak. Lindsay, I'll start with you... how did you react to such a claim?"

"I wasn't happy, that's for sure," Lindsay replied. "I know people looked at me and think, 'she's here just to be eye candy.' And I thought to myself, candy that tastes like an eye can't be good."

"Uh..." Geoff stuttered.

"I finished sixth on 'TDA,' but people here still didn't believe I could compete in all these Olympic Games. I had to show them that I was as good as anyone here!"

"Quick poll," Bridgette asked the others. "How many of you, the first time you saw Lindsay, thought that she didn't belong in this competition?"

Just more than half of the group raised their hand, including the entire 'Stoked' group, everyone from '6teen' except for Jude, as well as Heather and Courtney, both predictably.

"Nikki," Bridgette pointed her out. "Didn't think that way for long, did you?"

"Her bumping into me was hands down the best move she made in the entire game!" Nikki exclaimed.

The crowd went hysterical, unable to tell if Nikki's response was serious or not. Jen chuckled as she motioned Nikki to bend down so she could whisper something into her ear.

"Harold," Bridgette turned to the runner-up. "You two were thrown into the Elimination Challenge three times. Lindsay added a fourth the episode she went home in. Why do you think everyone thought it was fashionable to try and get rid of you two?"

"To be blunt, Bridgette, I think some of the guys were jealous because I was paired with Lindsay. And some of the girls just didn't like Lindsay at all."

Harold's first instinct was to look down to the end of the row... at Heather.

"Why are you looking at me?" Heather shouted. "Courtney was one of the ones who threw them into an Elimination Challenge, not me!"

"To be fair," Courtney answered, though she directed it at Harold and Lindsay, "I wanted to get rid of you because you really didn't belong here! You two, Olympic athletes? Yeah, right!"

"Funny thing, princess," Duncan interrupted. "The episode you threw them into the Elimination Challenge and survived, you got thrown in the very next week. And you got sent home!"

"That fall was an accident!" Courtney tried to cover her blunder.

"Speaking of blunders," Duncan growled as he turned his attention to Geoff and Bridgette, "all that crap about me throwing that challenge just because I didn't want to be around Courtney is complete bull! I just wasn't on my game that day."

"Whatever you say, bro," accepted Geoff, before turning away and rolling his eyes.

"Anyway," Bridgette got back on topic, "moving onto the alliance that you two would end up forming with Wyatt and Lo. Whose idea was that?"

"Mine," Lindsay raised her hand proudly.

"The... whole thing?"

"Actually, just decided to pick Wyatt and Lo," clarified Harold. "We thought about forming an alliance together, because we thought people wouldn't pick on us if we were with another team or two."

"Heather," Bridgette turned to her, "it wasn't long before you found out about the alliance. When you look back at the game... do you think picking Lo as the one to blackmail was the right decision?"

"I think so. I immediately picked up on the alliance as her chance to pretty much just breeze through the game without being threatened of getting sent home. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen."

"You two would end up butting heads quite a bit," noted Geoff. "What do you think about the fight that resulted in the producers thinking about possibly sending Lo home?"

"Plain and simple," replied Heather. "She should've gone home."

"Hey!" objected Lo, jumping out of her seat. "You provoked me!"

"So what? I'm not the one who wrestled me to the floor!"

"What?" Jonesy freaked out. "What episode was this, and how come I don't remember it?"

A few people laughed, but it quickly stopped when Gwen stood up to come to Lo's defense.

"You say that, and yet the producers did nothing the same day you found out about her alliance and then turned a rifle on me!"

"That's not the same thing!" argued Heather.

"Host dude did give her a warning," inputted Jude.

Gwen and Lo glared at Heather, and she glared back at them.

"Okay, everyone," Bridgette pleaded, "this isn't MTV. We can talk about this without resorting to petty violence."

"What are you talking about?" Geoff looked at her. "Everyone loves a good cat fight!"

A couple yells and whistles could be heard.

"Yeah, bring it on!" Jonesy and Reef yelled simultaneously.

The two of them then got stares from Nikki and Fin, respectively, and calmly sat back down.

"Trying to be the voice of peaceful reason here!" Bridgette said to her boyfriend.

"Fine," Geoff gave up.

Once Geoff backed down, the three girls also regained their composure and took their seats.

"Now..." picked up Bridgette, "anyone in the alliance can answer this, but did you believe in your wildest dreams that you would not only make it as far as you did, but be one day in which Lady Luck was on Reef's side away from making up the entire Final Four?"

"Never crossed my mind at all," Wyatt quickly confessed.

"I think if a few things fell their way," stated Harold, "which they almost did, yes. We were all very underrated. Lo in the skiing challenges, me in snowboarding, Wyatt in curling... we all did really well."

"Do you think you were helped by the favorites like Tyler, Courtney, Jonesy, Jen, Fin, and Jude all going out before the merge?" questioned Harold.

"Definitely," Wyatt answered, "and I know we were responsible for sending some of them home. A lot of them unexpectedly. I mean, no one would've expected Jen to get eliminated in Snowboard Cross, for example. But things happen."

"Probably would've helped if we had gotten rid of one more," Lo joked as she glanced at Reef. "No offense, Reef!"

Reef blew it off, taking the open jab with ease.

"We've gotta move on," Geoff spun his finger around, "and we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about Cody and Jen."

"Here we go," Jen rolled her eyes.

"Cody," Geoff looked at him first. "And be honest... bad decision to pick Jen as your partner instead of Gwen?"

Cody began to sweat, pulling at his collar. "Um... pass?"

The crowd laughed as both girls looked at him, surprised he didn't answer... or maybe glad he didn't.

"Alright then... Jen! Do you think Cody made a bad decision picking you instead of Gwen?"

"No, I think he made the right one."

"Wait... really?"

"I think he was set on being paired up with someone he thought could take him to the end of the competition. Assuming there was some history between him and Courtney, and at the time I didn't know if there was any, he knew I finished 2nd, so he picked me."

"Did you know about the history between him and Gwen before he picked you?"

"No."

"Gwen," Geoff looked at her. "When he picked Jen, were you jealous?"

"Geoff!" Bridgette scoffed at him.

"Jealous?" Gwen pointed at Jen. "Of Jen? Well, duh!"

"You were jealous of Jen?" Trent looked at her.

"You were jealous of me?" Jen blinked in shock.

"Heck, yeah!" answered Gwen. "You're both athletic and intelligent! There's not many girls out there that can say that."

"Ahem," Courtney coughed.

"Okay, so there's Courtney..."

"Wait a minute," Cody interrupted as he looked at Geoff, "are you insinuating I picked Jen so I could make Gwen jealous?"

"No..." Geoff looked around, "but that sounds good, so let's go with that."

"Geoff," he heard Bridgette growl.

"It's like Jen said," explained Cody. "I wanted to be with the person who gave me the best chance of staying in the competition. And as much as I like Gwen... Jen was a better choice."

"I'm flattered," Gwen cooed, before doing a double-take, "I... think?"

"What about the falling out between you two?" Geoff asked the pair. "Jen, you weren't happy that Cody was keeping you two from winning challenges, then he find out, threw a fit, and then got himself hurt. You then blamed yourself for his injuries and almost quit the game. He almost quit because he thought his injuries would slow you down even more. Thoughts?"

"Be less blunt about it, why don't you?" Jen remarked sarcastically, glaring at him.

"Heh heh," Cody nervously chuckled as he put a hand on Jen's shoulder and got her to back down, "it's true that we had trouble getting on the same page athletically, but we figured things out and everything between us is cool!"

"Like, yeah..." Geoff snickered, "until she tried to block Harold and missed!"

"**GEOFF!**" yelled Bridgette.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh!"

"I thought you said Geoff was a cool guy," Jen whispered to Gwen.

"You hang around Chris enough," responded Gwen, "you change horribly."

"We're gonna take another quick break!" announced Bridgette. "We'll chat about Reef and Fin's trip to the Opening Ceremonies, and what events he picked to see with his VIP tickets!"

"Be right back, folks!" Geoff shouted.

_(End Act Seven)_

* * *

(Intermission 2)

* * *

More audience applause as the TV viewers rejoin the show.

"You know whom we haven't heard from?" Bridgette asked to no one in general. "Johnny!"

"Who, me?" Johnny gasped, glad someone recognized he was there.

"So... someone told me you have a crush on Emma!"

Emma buried her face in her hands, and Johnny reached up and rubbed the back of his head.

"We kinda went on a date at last a few weeks ago..."

"And?" Bridgette gasped excitedly.

"That's it. We found out we weren't meant to be."

"Whoa. Um, Emma, your side of the..."

"I don't want to talk about it," she muffled through her hands.

The audience laughed. So did Geoff, but for another reason.

"Now that a question's blown up in Bridge's face for once," he stated as he looked at Fin, "I found someone we really can't ignore anymore. Fin!"

"If you're asking a question," she pointed at him, "maybe I should stay ignored."

"Oh, come on! It's a good question! See, upon winning the final challenge, Reef decided that he wanted you to accompany him to the Opening Ceremonies! How was that?"

"Now that you mention it, the Opening Ceremonies were great! So much pageantry, a great homage to our country, and... who could ever forget the Great One, carrying the torch through the streets of Vancouver! I'm not even much of a hockey fan and I found that incredible!"

"Reef, do you agree?"

"Certainly! My best part had to be Team Canada coming into the stadium. Man, did they represent our country well!"

"Indeed, my friend. Indeed."

Bridgette, having regained her composure after her last sequence of questions, picked up from there.

"So... we're all curious. What events did you see?"

"Men's Snowboard Cross was a must," Reef replied. "Loved doing it, and seeing it in action was as good as I had hoped. The men's 500 meters in Short Track Speed Skating... we got gold and bronze there. And, of course, I had to go to the Men's Ice Hockey Gold Medal game. Watched Canada beat USA in overtime! Great game! You had to be there to see the arena celebrate! It was awesome!"

"Great to hear!" Geoff exclaimed. "I have one question for everybody here, and that means you too, Bridge."

"What is it?" Bridgette asked.

"We all know the Summer Olympics are coming in two years, and they're being held in London! By show of hands... how many of you would be willing to repeat your experiences here in Vancouver for Summer Games events in London if you were invited?"

Geoff looked around and saw that Duncan, Nikki, Tyler, Jonesy, Courtney, Jen, Fin, Jude, Heather, Lindsay, Harold, Reef, and Bridgette all had their hands up. So, more than half the group.

"What about it, audience?" Geoff turned to the crowd. "If we're all still relevant in 2012, would you like to see these guys attempt some Summer Olympic sports?"

A majority of the crowd cheered in agreement, with a small scattering of nays and an even smaller population of silent non-deciders.

"Good to know."

"What about you, Geoff?" Bridgette asked him.

"Sure... if I get invited next time, I'd love to!"

"We're just about out of time here, so..."

Bridgette turned to Reef.

"As the winner of 'Fresh from Canada,' and as is this production company's tradition, you, Reef, get the last word!"

Reef smiled as he took advantage of it.

"I'm calling it now!" he shouted. "I, Reef, am the next Olympic gold medalist in Men's Snowboard Cross! The world better look out for the old Reefster!"

"Smooth," Fin said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"From all of us here in Vancouver," Geoff finished up, "thanks for coming, and good night!"

A final round of applause was heard from the crowd as they began to get out of their seats and head for the exit. Geoff and the entire cast are seen also seen getting up and they started mingling amongst themselves.

The camera pulls away one last time, then fades to black.

'Fresh from Canada' End

* * *

(Final Author's Notes):  
Thanks to all of you who have stuck around for the journey and read this fanfic from beginning to end! A winner has been declared... agree or disagree? Sound off in the reviews!

Keep an eye out in August for the full release of this story on my website, Freedom Fighter's Library! The release will include extras such as character profiles, a 'what if' section, and maybe more that I have yet to decide on! Watch my profile page for more details in the coming weeks!

With this, 'Fresh from Canada' becomes the first reality series that I have completed since 'Mystery Solvers' way back in... you know, I don't really remember. It's been that, that, that long, for sure. Short of a possible Summer Olympics edition of this in 2012, if I'm still writing fanfics at that point, I don't have any immediate plans to feature any Fresh TV characters in another reality series. I guess if the right idea came along, maybe...

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the fic! Good night, everyone!


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